


press play, rewind, keep it on repeat

by sirensokka



Series: winter atla femslash week 2021 [4]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: "enemies" is definitely too strong, Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Music, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/F, Fluff, Happy Ending, Med Student Katara, Miscommunication, Pop Star Yue, also some referenced bakoda, more like "one-sided dislike to friends to lovers"
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-05
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-17 17:26:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 21,344
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29229186
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sirensokka/pseuds/sirensokka
Summary: sokka is very much obsessed with the world-famous pop star princess yue, but katara? not so much. so, of course, she's the one who ends up running into the singer after being dragged into one of sokka's plans to meet her.or, a starstruck (2010) au.
Relationships: Katara/Yue (Avatar), implied Sokka/Zuko (Avatar) - Relationship
Series: winter atla femslash week 2021 [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2137914
Comments: 13
Kudos: 42
Collections: Winter ATLA Femslash Week 2021





	1. press play

**Author's Note:**

> i had the idea of musician!yue randomly one afternoon, and i was originally going to take this in a much different direction, but then i re-watched starstruck and i just...i just had to, okay? for the culture. there are a few differences, but the gist is the same. enjoy!
> 
> title from "do it" by chloe x halle
> 
> chapter 1 written for winter atla femslash week, day 5: modern au

“If you don’t stop talking about Princess Yue, I swear I’ll punch you in the face,” Katara threatened.

All Katara wanted was a peaceful evening, just her, her homework, and her Spotify playlists, but of course, Sokka had to ruin it by running his mouth about Princess Yue.

Katara can’t claim to be an expert on celebrities, but she could probably tell you everything about Princess Yue from how many times she’d listened to Sokka gush about her and her perfect white hair, her beautiful skin, her bright blue eyes, her beautifully smooth voice, and who knows what else. Katara had heard some of her songs on the radio and from Sokka, and it was _fine_. Nothing revolutionary. For all intents and purposes, Princess Yue was just another generic pop star riding the wave of fame.

Katara couldn’t care less about her. She was probably super prissy, and she knows that tabloids exploit everybody, but the tight circle that she keeps doesn’t help her case. Plus, her boyfriend Hahn was supposed to be a colossal dick. So, maybe Katara wasn’t exactly a fan of the girl that her brother ran her ear off about. Whatever.

More importantly, she had no idea where her brother found the brain capacity to come up with so many plans to meet her. His latest plan involved sneaking out of the house (“It’s not sneaking if our dads aren’t even in town.” “Just let me have this, Katara.”), heading to the Northern bloc of town, and then worming his way into a party that Yue would be singing at.

And now he wanted to drag Katara into it, because, according to Sokka, “If dads find out, they’ll be less mad if they know you were there to keep me in line!”

That’s probably a fair point, but Katara has no desire to see some pompous celebrity tonight. “No. I’m busy.”

“Come on, Katara, don’t you want to take a break?” he pleaded, giving her exaggerated puppy-dog eyes. “It’s Friday night! Your notes will be here when we get back! You can get right back to reading about...” He squinted at her screen as he trailed off. “Uh, ravioli?”

“ _Alveoli_ ,” Katara corrected. “And no, I don’t really feel like taking a break.”

“That’s a lie,” Sokka shot back. “But whatever. How’s this: if you come with me, I’ll stop talking about Princess Yue.”

Katara turned around to look at him, her face unimpressed.

“For the rest of the weekend,” he amended.

Katara quirked an eyebrow. “Try for the rest of your life,” she said, then turned back to her notes. The human respiratory system stared back at her, the diagrams and chunks of text mocking her through her laptop screen. She felt her heart sink as she thought about spending the next few hours reading about breathing. Really, there wasn’t anything she didn’t already know. Probably. And it was still fairly early into the night, and if she didn’t go, who’d help Sokka when he got in trouble?

She could practically feel his sad eyes boring into her head from his spot next to her on their couch. She’d probably regret this in the morning, but she had plenty of years left of med school. She’d learn about lungs eventually.

“Ugh,” she groaned, keeping her eyes trained on her laptop screen. “Fine. But I don’t want to hear a word about her for the rest of the _week_.”

Sokka whooped in delight, punching his fists into the air while dancing around. “I won’t forget this!” he promised, gathering her up in his arms. “You are, without a doubt, my favorite sister!”

“I’m your _only_ sister,” Katara grumbled. “When do we leave?”

Sokka straightened up, his fingers already darting across the screen of his phone. “Okay, so, Suki’s birthday party is at the Kyoshi Bar, and it’ll start at around twelve,” he began, brows furrowed in concentration. “It’s ten-thirty now, and it’s about a half-hour drive, so we should leave in about an hour to account for traffic.”

“That sounds like a great plan,” Katara said, sarcasm running beneath each word. “Just one small problem: where are we supposed to get a car?”

Sokka blinked at her. “Zuko. Duh.”

Katara pulled a face. She’d met Zuko is passing and his weird emo broody demeanor did not exactly win her over. She had no clue why her brother insisted on spending so much time with him. “Why the hell would Zuko lend you his car for this?”

Sokka shrugged. “We’re just tight like that?” he said unconvincingly, sounding more like he was asking her than telling her.

Her eyes narrowed. She almost felt offended for a moment - she’d known Sokka her whole life, and he still tried to lie straight to her face? “Right,” she said, drawing the word out. “You know what? It doesn’t even matter. We’re talking about this later.”

Sokka cleared his throat, and Katara filed his blush away into the _Blackmail Material_ section of her brain. “Okay,” he squeaked. “Well, I’ll head over to his place and get his car, then we’ll go as soon as I get back, okay?”

Katara sighed, resigning herself to another night of procrastination. “Fine,” she agreed, closing her laptop. Anatomy class would just have to wait.

“You’re the best!” Sokka called, bounding out of their house with a grin on his face.

Katara sat for a moment, soaking in the silence and stillness of their house. There was always so much noise in their home, with Sokka constantly blaring Princess Yue’s music, the sounds of Bato cooking their dinner, and her dad’s loud voice ringing through the house even when he spoke casually. It was nice to have a moment for herself, to let herself sink into the couch and know that there were no expectations of her, for just a moment.

The moment was over pretty quickly when she was reminded that she had stupidly agreed to Sokka’s plan. Sighing, she dragged herself off the couch and into her bedroom to get ready. She found herself getting increasingly self-conscious as she picked through her wardrobe. Pictures of Princess Yue’s elaborate hair-dos and outfits flitted through her mind as her plain jeans and t-shirts stared back at her. Katara loved fashion as much as the next person, but it wasn’t exactly her priority nowadays.

Huffing in frustration, Katara grabbed a random shirt and pulled it on. _My coat will cover everything anyway_ , she excused. _It’s the middle of winter._

She decided against doing anything fancy right then, tugging her jeans up and lacing her shoes in a rush. She didn’t care about the dumb party, she wasn’t interested in seeing Princess Yue or any of her snooty friends, and she certainly didn’t want to impress them. At. All. She kept telling herself this as she angrily braided her hair loopies, securing them in place with her usual blue beads and cursing Sokka under her breath.

Was it fair to blame her decisions on him? No. Was she going to do it anyway? Absolutely. Did her guilt manifest itself in the form of her stuffed aquatic animals suddenly glaring at her from their spots on her shelf? Maybe.

She heard the crunch of gravel just as she was pulling her hoodie on, the headlights of Zuko’s small black car bleeding through the blinds on her window. Sokka honked twice, making Katara jump and send him a glare in her mind.

Grabbing her bag, she stomped her way out of the house, yanked on the driver’s side of the car (and then sent a mental apology to the car, because it was an innocent victim of her rage), and slipped in.

“Buckle up!” Sokka said with glee.

“I hate you so bad,” Katara muttered, but she complied. Click it or ticket, right?

Sokka doesn’t say anything, but his smug expression speaks for itself as he clicks on the radio. Princess Yue’s voice blares through the speakers, and Sokka’s face just gets happier as Katara groans. “Is it not enough that I agreed to this stupid plan?” Katara complained.

“Nope!” Sokka exclaimed, popping the ‘p’. “I’m gonna have fun tonight.”

“That makes one of us.”

Sokka hummed, drumming his fingers on the steering wheel in time with the song. The rest of the ride went on in silence, the radio switching between generic pop songs throughout their journey to the Northside of town. The city lights illuminated the streets, washing them in a kaleidoscope of color. Katara much preferred the quietness of their suburb.

She heard the Kyoshi Bar and saw the line before she saw the bar itself. Heavy bass rattled her bones and she could already feel the headache forming. Dozens of people lined the streets outside of the club, the familiar gold and green neon aesthetics painting their corner of the block. Their logo was a simple golden hand fan, the words “Kyoshi Club” written inside of it in green lettering. She’d been a few times, usually dragged by Sokka, and she had absolutely no desire to get any closer to it today.

“I’m not going,” she told Sokka as he parked across the street.

He shrugged. “More for me,” he said simply, killing the engine. “I’m not going in yet, anyway. I’m waiting for Yue to arrive, then I’ll slip inside during the chaos.”

Katara rolled her eyes. “Your plan is foolproof,” she snarked.

Sokka didn’t pick up on it. “Thank you!” Then he did. “Oh. Sister, why must you forsake me this way?”

She flipped him off in response, ignoring his indignant squawk. She pulled out her phone, mindlessly scrolling through her social media feeds. The party continued outside, Sokka’s eyes trained on the entrance to the club. After what felt like years, he perked up, shaking her shoulder.

“That’s her!” he yelled, pointing at the silver car pulling up to the entrance. Sure enough, Princess Yue stepped out of the car, her elaborate white hair setting her apart from the crowd.

“Congrats,” Katara remarked. “Go meet your Princess Charming.”

“I will!” Sokka yelled, fixing his hair in the rearview mirror. “Do I look okay?”

“No.”

“Great! I’ll be right back!” Sokka exclaimed, then promptly ran across the street and into the crowd. He disappeared quickly, working his way through the sea of people, and Katara resigned herself to a night of Candy Crush.

That lasted all of 15 minutes.

She ran out of lives embarrassingly quickly on Candy Crush, leaving her without entertainment. The radio was blaring a song by Princess Yue, ticking her off more, and Sokka still wasn’t back, which made things worse. She looked around the crowd, a plan formulating in her mind, and she clambered out of the car before she could overthink it.

She made her way to the alley next to the club, searching for an alternate entrance without a crowd, when suddenly a door opened and her face was crashing into it.

Stumbling back, she clutched her head and groaned. “Shit!” came a voice from the door. “Shit, I’m so sorry! Are you okay?”

Katara groaned in response.

The voice made a distressed noise. “Shit, this is not good. This is really not good.”

Anger made Katara’s head throb harder. “What, not good for you or not good for me?” she demanded.

“You know what? I’m gonna get you to a doctor,” the voice said, coming closer to her. Katara was met with bright blue eyes looking at her worriedly, paired with pure white hair peeking out of a hoodie and dark brown skin. Something in her mind jumped, her mouth forming the words without her permission.

“Princess Y-?”

A hand clamped over her mouth. “I’ll give you front-row tickets to my next concert if you don’t yell my name.”

Katara pushed the hand away, irritated. “I don’t want to go to your stupid concert!” she snapped. “And I don’t need to go to a doctor. I’m fine.”

Yue looked hurt for a moment, but Katara must’ve just been seeing things. “Fine. But I really think a doctor should see your head.”

“Why, because I don’t want to go to your concert?”

Yue stared at her. “Uh, no, because I just slammed a door into your face.”

Katara waved her away, stepping back. “I’m a doctor,” she said confidently. “And I say I’m fine, thank you.” She took a few more steps back, ready to just head back to the car when she heard a stampede of people heading straight for the alley.

Yue’s eyes widened. “Shit,” she said. “Paparazzi.”

Katara gaped at her. “Paparazzi?” she repeated. “Are you joking?”

Yue’s face didn’t look like she was joking. “We need to go, _now_ ,” she said, grabbing Katara’s hand and dragging her out of the alley. “Put your hood up,” she added.

“Hey!” Katara said, putting her hood up with her free arm and trying in vain to take her other arm back. “Where are we going?”

“I don’t know,” Yue admitted. “Somewhere.”

 _Zuko’s car_. “I know where,” Katara told her, prying her arm out of Yue’s grasp and leading the way back. They darted across the street, turning their faces away from the headlights, and Katara made her way to the passenger seat of the car.

“Here,” she said, opening the door. “You’re driving,” she added, tossing the keys to Yue.

“Why can’t you drive?” Yue grumbled, but she complied, sliding into the driver’s seat.

“I can’t drive. This isn’t my car,” Katara said casually.

“ _What_? Who’s car is this, then?” Yue looked like she was preparing for the worst, as if Katara had just casually roped her into car theft, and a laugh bubbled out of her at the sight.

“Zuko’s.”

“Uh, bless you?” Yue said, glancing at her worriedly.

“I- no, no,” she explained, “Zuko’s a guy we know.”

Yue stared at her. “Just drive the car!” Katara snapped, her cheeks heating, swerving her head to glare out of the window.

Yue did as she said, maneuvering the car out of its spot on the curb and driving them into the open highway. The silence in the car was overbearing, and Katara felt bad for a moment as she snuck a glance at Yue. The longer the silence carried on, the longer she felt the need to break it, so she finally decided, _why not_?

“So,” she started as casually as possible. “Fun party?”

Yue shrugged, not looking at her. Typical. “Fun party,” Yue confirmed.

The same awkward silence permeated. Maybe even awkwarder now, if that were possible. “Did you meet Sokka?” Katara asked.

Yue frowned. “Who?”

Damn. Stone cold. “My brother,” Katara explained. “He wanted to see you. That’s why we’re here.”

“Oh,” Yue said, turning her head to look at her for a moment. “I’m sorry I didn’t get to see him, then.” She sounded so stupidly earnest it made Katara feel _extra_ bad. Yue was probably fine, right? Katara should’ve known better than to trust the tabloids.

“It’s fine,” she assured her. Sokka would think of another plan to meet her eventually. “Actually, I think we kinda...stole his ride? Could you make sure he gets home safe?”

“Sure,” Yue chirped. “I’ll tell Suki to get him home.”

“Thank you,” Katara said, shooting her a grateful smile, and Yue smiled back.

“What about you?” Yue asked after a moment.

Katara looked at her quizzically. “What about me?”

Yue looked uncomfortable for a moment. “You didn’t want to see me?”

 _Oh_. Wow. Well, that was nice while it lasted. “No,” Katara said snippily. “I thought I made that clear in the alley. I’m just here so he doesn’t get in trouble.”

“Oh. Right,” Yue said, disappointment clear in her tone, and Katara blames her lack of sleep on the way that anger flares in her belly.

“What, do you just assume everyone you meet is your fan?” she exploded, twisting in her seat to fully face her. Yue startles, her eyes growing wide as she glances at Katara. “Do you just think that everyone’s falling at your feet? Pretty Princess Yue, the darling of the whole world? Please! You and your circle are so...so annoying! And you’re all rude, I bet.”

A deafening silence follows, and Yue’s face is completely unreadable. Katara knows that her face is probably bright red at this point, her chest heaving as she struggled to collect herself. Finally, Yue broke the silence with a quiet, “You think I’m pretty?"

Katara’s jaw drops, anger and confusion spreading through her in equal parts. “ _That’s_ your take away from all of that?”

Yue smiles. “I don’t blame you for thinking that,” she told her. “I know how the media portrays my friends and I.”

Katara doesn’t know what to make of that, but the sadness in Yue’s voice makes the fight leave her body as guilt takes over. “What do mean?”

Yue just shakes her head, a cryptic smile on her face. “It doesn’t matter. We’re here, anyway.”

Katara looked up, and she was met with the biggest house she’d ever seen in her life. This was a mansion, complete with a fucking fountain in front. She probably could’ve guessed that Yue lived somewhere like this, with her being a world-famous pop star with a stupid rich girl car, but still.

“I just need to say hi to my dad and shake some hands,” Yue told her, completely unfazed by Katara’s reaction. “Just follow me up the stairs and keep your head down, okay? I’ll come to get you after and take you home. Oh, and put your hood up”

Katara ignored the way her heart skips when she heard that. It’s whatever - a pretty girl saying that she’ll ‘take her home’ is bound to elicit a reaction. Throwing her hood over her head, she climbed out of the car and followed Yue’s lead as they walked into her mansion.

The place was filled with pretentious-looking people, milling about and talking to each other. The house felt empty, barren, filled with white noise and fake smiles. She stalled for a moment, falling behind Yue as she drank in the sight of such an unfamiliar environment.

“Don’t let people see you,” Yue reminded her, pushing her towards the staircase.

Katara glared at her. “I get it,” she snapped. “Where are you taking me?”

“I’m not sure yet,” Yue murmured, darting her eyes worriedly to the crowd.

Katara growled. “I get that you can’t bear to be seen with me,” she spits, “but could you at least tell me when you’ll be taking me home?”

Yue sighed, finally focusing her attention on Katara. “It’s not that I can’t bear to be seen with you,” she said, tugging Katara up the final few steps. “I just don’t want people asking questions. And neither do you.”

Katara laughed humorlessly, stopping at the top of the staircase. “Why’s that?”

Yue stared at her. “Are you serious?” she asked incredulously. She made a fist, holding it up to her mouth like a microphone. “Who is she? Where did you meet? Are you two dating?”

Katara narrows her eyes, and embarrassing heat shooting up her body. “Dating?” she repeated.

“Tabloids make things up!” Yue whisper-shouted. “That’s literally their job!”

Katara watched as Yue turned away from her in a huff, heading down the hallway and peeking into various rooms.

“In here,” Yue hissed, holding a door open for her. Katara made her way over, feet dragging, and gaped at the sight of the room. Posters of Yue were on the walls, multiple awards scattered across shelves, and the entire room looked like the creative team of _Frozen_ threw up on it. Two ornate doors are on the opposite side of the room, leading to a balcony, and Katara felt like throwing herself off it.

“Our guest room,” Yue declared. “Be my guest.”

“Can I put your service to the test, too?”

Yue stared at her blankly. 

“Beauty and the Beast?” Katara said, feeling incredibly uncomfortable under Yue’s gaze. “You know. ‘Be our guest, be our guest, put our service to the test?’”

Yue cleared her throat, absolutely no understanding in her eyes, and Katara felt like an idiot for the nth time that evening. “Right,” Yue shrugged off. “Yeah. Well, just...stay, okay?”

Katara scoffed as Yue made her way out of the room. “Woof,” she called out sarcastically, but Yue didn’t turn back to look at her, just clicked the door shut quietly behind her.

The sounds of the party make their way into the room, even through the door. Katara took another look around, feeling more and more creeped out by the room. She’d read online that narcissists fill their houses with pictures of themselves, but this room was on another level. A small plaque rests on the dresser that reads “YUE” in gigantic letters. Each poster comes from different albums, different tours, different photoshoots. Standing in this mansion, in this room, Katara feels infinitely smaller.

She should’ve just done her freaking anatomy notes. Then she wouldn’t be standing in the guestroom of her brother’s favorite singer. She felt another wave of guilt rise in her. Sokka should be the one in here, getting a car ride with Yue and hanging around her house. She’d been nothing but snappy with Yue, which she could try and justify to herself all she wanted, but she knew that she would regret leaving things like this.

She didn’t particularly care about Yue, but she did care about being a kind person.

Katara flopped into the bed, letting out a growl in annoyance at how freaking soft the sheets were. It was unfair. She felt her hand coming up to clutch her necklace, her thumb tracing the familiar carvings of her stone pendant. She lay like that for a moment, feeling her muscles relax as the noise of the party faded away. For a moment, Katara thinks that she probably shouldn’t fall asleep in this bed. The next moment, her brain screamed that it’s probably around 2 AM at this point.

Katara buried her face in the soft sheets and let her eyes slip shut. So soft…

She’s jolted from her pseudo-slumber by the sound of thunderous applause coming from the balcony. Katara groans, willing herself to just go back to sleep, but of course, she can’t have nice things. She lies there for a moment, eyes still shut when she hears the strum of a guitar followed by a soothing voice singing outside.

Eyes sliding open, Katara turned to look at the doors that lead to the balcony. Her body decided for her, taking her to the doors and stepping onto the balcony. The cold air bites into her skin, the wind blowing on her hair, but she can hear the song much more clearly. The previously boisterous crowd is silent, all of their eyes trained on the girl in the center of their little circle.

Yue.

She’s sitting on a stool, no microphone in sight, but her voice carries throughout the patio nonetheless. The acoustic guitar in her hands is a sleek silver, her fingers dancing across the strings effortlessly. Her voice is smooth but powerful, commanding the attention of everyone in earshot in a way that people don’t even seem to be aware of. Katara is no different, leaning across the balcony’s railing to hear better.

“ _Let's just run away, can't we run away now?_

_Hear me when I say I don't wanna_

_Waste another day with you away from me_

_So let's just run away right now…_ ”

On one hand, Katara knows that this is probably just another meaningless love song about to make its way to Top 40 radio. On the other hand, Katara feels the desperate urge to take Yue’s hand and run away from here, from the crowd, from everyone else’s gaze.

Yue’s eyes flitted upward, locking with Katara’s, and Katara feels herself exhale roughly as Yue sends her a small smile. Her blue eyes are wide and kind, looking up at Katara with something like fondness, and Katara feels herself smiling back despite herself.

The moment is over as soon as it happened, Yue moving to shoot smiles at other partygoers, and Katara berates herself. She’s ‘known’ Princess Yue for all of an hour. She’s just doing her typical pop star schtick, smiling and batting her eyelash at anyone to get them to love her, stream her music, buy tickets to her concerts. 

And Katara was stupid enough to fall for it, even if it was for just a second.

Anger coursing through her veins, Katara stalked back into the stupid guestroom, not bothering to close the door behind her. She just wanted to go _home_ , to her own bed in her own room, wants to see her familiar stuffed aquatic animals, the comforting ocean patterns she and her mom had painted on her wall, wants to feel the warmth of her dad’s goodnight hugs.

Katara made her way out of the room, fleeing down the stairs as fast she can. She’s met with a room full of important-looking people as soon as she reaches the foyer, and she hesitates. Her eyes darted around, feeling completely out of her element, and she’s barely taken a step in the direction of a hallway when she feels her arm being yanked back.

“What are you doing?” Yue demanded. “I told you to stay in the guest room!”

“I’m not a dog,” Katara snapped, pulling her arm back harshly. “I’m my own person who can make her own choices.”

Yue made a noise like she disagreed, nearly sending Katara into another rant, but she’s talking before she can start. “Whatever. Let’s go. Put your hood back up, don’t let anyone see you.”

Katara rolled her eyes but complied, keeping her head low and she followed Yue back to Zuko’s car. She slipped into the passenger seat silently, clipping her seatbelt and letting her head plop back on the seat. She’s adamant about not speaking the entire car ride home until Yue asks, “Are you going to give me your address, or do I just have to guess?”

Katara takes a deep breath, holds it for four counts, and exhales slowly. She recites her address, watching as Yue types it into her phone’s GPS. Nearly an hour away. Great.

Katara leans back into her seat.

The car is painfully silent for all of fifteen minutes before Yue blurts, “Why do you hate me so much?”

Opening her eyes, Katara turns her head to look at Yue for a moment. She’s decided that she definitely does not like Princess Yue, but she finds that she might like Yue just fine. There’s a distinction. 

“My brother never shuts up about you, you know,” she says instead. “Everything I know about you I know through him, his rambles about how pretty you are, how good your music is, how cool your friends are, how shitty your boyfriend is.”

Yue is silent, keeping her eyes on the road, so Katara continues. “It’s all so fake. It’s so fake it makes me sick, and everything about that was highlighted tonight. All the sneaking around, the fact that your car and guitar match, the stupid guest room, keeping me hidden away? All because you need to keep your image pristine? It’s bullshit!”

A couple of beats pass before Yue responds. “It’s not about _my_ image,” Yue says quietly.

Katara blinks. “What? Then why did we just...do all of that?”

Yue groans, stopping the car and pulling over. She clicks her seatbelt off and turns herself fully toward Katara, and she immediately feels like she’s about to get the verbal smackdown of her life. There’ll be a marking here on the highway: Here lies Katara, dragged to death by Princess Yue.

“You...you’re so _normal_ ,” Yue begins, her eyes intense as she looks at Katara. “You’re just a regular girl, with a regular life, a regular family. If the paparazzi or the tabloids got their hands on you, all of that would be destroyed.” 

Yue takes a breath, her voice dangerously wobbly. “Your life would be ruined because of me. _That’s_ why I needed to keep you hidden. I don’t care about my stupid image. I care about the fact that you aren’t part of this world, and I want to keep it that way.”

Speechless, Katara stared back at Yue in astonishment. She wasn’t expecting that in the slightest, or at the very least she wasn’t expecting Yue to start _crying_ , but she lets her instincts take over as she clicks off her seatbelt and reaches to wrap her arms around Yue.

Yue melted into her, wrapping her arms just as tightly around Katara, and they sit like that for a moment. Katara is acutely aware that this isn’t the most comfortable position, both of them stretched over the console, but if Yue doesn’t care then she sure doesn’t. She pats Yue’s head when she feels wetness seep into her shirt, startling a laugh out of Yue.

“Now who’s the dog?” Yue said, her voice slightly muffled. “Woof.”

Katara laughed as Yue pulls away and wipes at the tears streaking down her face. “I’m sorry for being...like that,” Katara apologized. “But you could’ve just told me that.”

Yue huffs, but there’s no real anger in her voice as she said, “Well, I thought it was obvious! I told you what the tabloids would say.”

“Yeah, you did,” Katara admitted, making them both laugh. “Still. Just be honest with me next time.”

Yue perks up. “Next time?” she repeated, her voice hopeful.

 _Hell, why not?_ “Next time,” Katara confirmed. “I mean, if you want.”

The entire night was worth the dazzling smile that Yue gave her. “Absolutely,” she said, her voice endearingly earnest. “Maybe I could meet your brother.”

 _Shit. Sokka._ “Maybe,” she said, her voice strangled. She tries to smile when Yue tilts her head and looks at her questioningly, but it probably ends up looking more like a grimace.

“I think I’m just tired,” she explained. Not a lie, but not exactly the truth. “Can you take me home now, please?”

Yue nodded, wordlessly starting the car back up and continuing their drive. The silence between them is comfortable, peaceful, and Katara feels her eyes slip shut for the second time that evening.

She’s pulled out of her nap by the sound of gravel crunching, her moon shining into her eyes as she sits up. She can’t tell if Sokka is home yet or not, but she prays to anyone listening that they somehow made it before him.

“Here you are,” Yue said. “Home.”

Katara nods. She finds herself not wanting to get out of the car, hesitating to reach for the handle. She can’t think of anything to say, not a single excuse coming into her mind for Yue to stay. It’d be a terrible idea for her to stay - she has no idea how she’d explain it to Sokka in the morning, and they’re not quite at the point where Katara would invite her into her bed. (Yet. Hopefully. Maybe.)

“Hold on.” Katara swiveled her head toward Yue, who’s looking at her with a frown on her face. “Don’t you need to return this car?”

 _Fucking hell._ “Um,” Katara started, trying not to sound unsure. “You can just leave it here.”

Yue stared. “How am _I_ supposed to get back home?”

“Uber?”

Yue raised her eyebrows. “And what happens when the uber driver sends an email to deuxmoi about picking me up at a random suburban home?”

There was a beat of silence as Katara processed her words. “You said a lot of things,” Katara told her slowly, “and many of them I did not understand.”

Yue huffed and rolled her eyes. “Can I just...stay the night? I’ll have a friend pick me up in the morning.”

Katara hesitated. If Yue slept in her dads’ room and snuck out early enough, Sokka would never know. But if for some reason Sokka visited their room, or Yue woke him up while leaving, or he decided to wake up early for once, she was doomed. She looked at Yue, excuses ready on her tongue, but the way that Yue was chewing on her lip worriedly made Katara’s resolve crumble.

“Fine,” she heard herself say. “Just be _quiet_ and leave early. And don’t touch anything.”

She got out of the car before she could change her mind, unlocking their front door as quietly as possible. She gestured for Yue to copy her as she toed off her shoes, cringing slightly at the light thud they made hitting the floor. She tugged Yue to the hallway, feeling a sense of vindication as she herded Yue through the hall. 

Arriving at her dads’ bedroom, she twisted the doorknob and opened the door as quietly as possible, holding her breath as the door creaked. If Sokka was home, he was already asleep, but Katara wasn’t going to take any chances.

“Here you go,” Katara whispered, waving a hand around the room. “Hotel _a la_ Hadoka and Bato.”

“Thank you so much for this,” Yue whispered, squeezing Katara’s hand.

Katara shrugged, ignoring the warmth spreading through her because of Yue’s gaze. “It’s no problem. Any time. Actually, please don’t do this again.”

Yue giggled quietly, slipping further into the room. “I won’t touch anything, I promise,” she assured her. “I’ll be out by morning.”

Katara couldn’t help the disappointment she felt at those words. She knew that Yue couldn’t stay, and she wasn’t foolish enough to suggest it, but she wanted to, badly. “Goodnight, then,” she whispered instead.

“Goodnight, Katara,” Yue whispered back, closing the door quietly.

Katara made her way into her own bedroom, her socked feet silent on the floor, and threw herself onto her bed. She groaned quietly into her pillow, her thoughts swirling in her mind. She didn't feel like processing anything this late at night, so she closed her eyes and let herself be carried away into sleep.


	2. rewind

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> yue wakes up

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello yuetara nation ! this chapter deviates more from starstruck canon (?) but we'll be back to it in chapter 3

Yue woke up with a start, her eyes slowly peeling open and burning against the bright morning sun. For a moment she forgot where she was, feeling panic rise in her as she took in the unfamiliar surroundings, and then the events of the night slammed back into her memory.

She propped herself up, processing the room around her. A handmade quilt laid at the foot of the bed, and the pillow coverings were lovingly embroidered with various patterns. Trinkets lined the dresser, ranging from carved wooden statues to a small stuffed bird. Everything about the room was warm, peaceful, making Yue instantly feel safe.

Her own house was nothing like this.

Pushing down a flare of jealousy, she patted her pockets for her phone, taking it out and searching for Suki’s contact name. The clock read 5:31 AM, but Yue wasn’t worried.

**Yue**

_ can you come pick me up?  _ \- 5:31

**Suki**

_ it is five in the morning.  _ \- 5:31

**Yue**

_ is that a yes?  _ \- 5:32

**Suki**

_ does this mean that you went home with that guy’s sister?  _ \- 5:32

**Yue**

_ all will be revealed when you get here _ \- 5:32

**Suki**

_ i hate u!!! _ \- 5:32

Yue snorted, a smile spreading across her face. She sent Yue the address and laid back down. Suki was closer, barely, so she still had about an hour to spare, but it’s not like she had much to do. It felt wrong to use the bathroom attached to the bedroom - too personal - but she didn’t want to walk around the house, poking her head into random rooms and hoping for the bathroom.

The bitterness in her mouth won over her reservations. She made her way into the bathroom, trying to keep from invading their privacy too much. She could see domesticity everywhere she turned - embroidered towels, just like the pillows, two toothbrushes leaning against each other, a bottle of flower-scented hand soap resting on the sink. She searched for a bottle of mouthwash and tried not to think too hard about the hygiene aspects as she waterfalled it. She put the bottle back and looked at herself in the mirror.

Her makeup was messy, her eyeliner and lipstick trailing across her face. Her hair was sticking out, her hair ties barely hanging onto her hair and her braids loose. Irritated, she pulled them out as fast as she could, ignoring the stinging pain that erupted in her scalp. She spit out the mouthwash and splashed her face with warm water, scrubbing as much of the makeup away she could. 

She looked back up at herself afterward, and she looked just as tired as she did before.

She went back into the bedroom, checking the time on her phone again. 5:43. Probably about 50 minutes to go. She sat back on the bed, leaned her head against the pillows, and closed her eyes.

Yue was jolted awake by the sound of her phone ringing. Her fingers fumbled as she raced to shut off the noise, relaxing once the silence returned to the room. Suki had been texting her for the past 10 minutes, and already called twice.

Fuck.

She quietly rolled out of the bed. She diligently smoothed the comforter and blankets over, adjusting the pillows so that they were just as she’d found them. She grabbed her jacket off the floor and turned to leave, but she hesitated at the last moment.

_ Next time _ , Katara had said. And Yue wanted a next time, desperately. She wanted a next time with the only person who didn’t seem to care at all who she was, who was just a normal person leading a normal life, away from all the industry shit and the paparazzi and the tabloids and everything. 

She could see a notepad and pen out of the corner of her eye, and she only hesitated for a moment before reaching out and grabbing them. She quickly scribbled a note:

xxx-xxx-xxxx

_ For next time _

She placed the note on top of the pillow before she could overthink it. She snuck out as silently as possible, cringing at every creak of the floorboards. Slipping her shoes back on, she hopped out of Katara’s house and found Suki’s car on the curb, waiting to take her back to her father’s mansion.

She prepared herself for Suki’s unavoidable barrage of questions, the cold air barely brushing her body before the warmth of Suki’s car swallowed her.

“Good morning, Yue,” Suki chirped as soon as Yue opened the door. “Please explain why I’ve just driven 60 minutes and waited an extra 10 for you to get out here.”

Yue groaned, settling into her seat. “Good morning, Suki,” she responded. “How was the rest of your night?”   


Suki shot her a dirty look but didn’t object to her changing the subject. “Less fun after you left,” she lamented. “Couldn’t you have just stayed a little while longer?”

Yue shrugged. “Hahn was being a dick,” she said, ignoring the sympathetic look Suki gave her. “I just wanted to get out of there.”

“I hate that he has to come with you on shit like this,” Suki muttered. “I told them again and again that I only wanted  _ you _ there, but they never listen.”

“Hahn is the golden boy,” she remarked. “And my dad loves him.”

“Your dad is a dick.”

Yue frowned. “Don’t say that,” she said half-heartedly. “He’s doing what he thinks is best.”

“But what about what’s  _ actually _ best?” Suki demanded, her brow furrowing and her hands clutching the steering wheel tighter. “He never listens to you. You just have to go along with everything he says no matter what.”

Yue shrugged, not wanting to exaggerate the tense atmosphere that had taken over the car. “It’s fine, Suki,” she said softly. “We’ll probably break up before my next album. I’ll be the jilted lover, he’ll be the playboy, and we’ll both sell well.”

Suki grumbled something under her breath. “Whatever. Tell me about your girl now.”

Yue hated the way her cheeks heated up instantly. “She’s not  _ my girl _ ,” she said.

“Yet?” Suki teased.

Her cheeks burned more. “Shut up,” she muttered, sending Suki into laughter. “Her name is Katara. She’s not like us. I don’t want to involve her in our shit.”

Suki hummed. “But you will.”

Yue didn’t respond, which was probably enough of a response. “How was the brother?”

Suki rolled her eyes. “He was funny,” she said. “A little starstruck, I think. He’s harmless.”

“Katara mentioned that he’s a fan,” Yue explained. _Mentioned_ is probably too light of a word for Katara’s rant, but that was neither here nor there. “ He was there to see me, apparently.”

“And she wasn’t?”

Yue snorted. “I think she hates me, actually. With a passion.”

Suki laughed. “Of course you’d go for the girl that hates you,” she said. “Anything else would be too easy.”

“Don’t say it like that,” Yue complained. “She’s funny. And cute. And she thinks I’m pretty.”

“ _ I  _ think you’re pretty,” Suki reminded her.

“Yeah, but she thinks I’m  _ pretty _ ,” Yue said.

Suki narrowed her eyes, not taking her gaze off the road, but Yue still felt like Suki was staring directly into her soul. “If you had sounded any gushier,” she started, “I think I would’ve asked when the wedding was.”

Yue gaped at her. “Are you- seriously, I- What-?” she stammered, sending as many negative vibes as possible to Suki. “You know what? Bye,” she said, then turned the radio up as loud as possible to drown out Suki’s laughter.

The rest of the ride continued like that, the radio acting as a buffer between them and any conversation. Suki eventually turned the volume back down to a number that didn’t make Yue’s head pound, singing along and passing a fist mic to Yue occasionally.

Suki was still wearing pajamas, a simple tank top and flannel pants, and Yue felt guilt climb up her throat as she realized that Suki had probably been asleep, or about to have been, when Yue texted. 

Suki was the only real friend Yue ever had - they’d met on the set of some crappy kid’s shoe commercial, way before Yue was Princess Yue or Suki was an A-list actress. Everyone else in her stupid circle had been carefully selected by her dad’s team, each of them having their respective roles, and each of them wanting just one thing from Princess Yue: fame.

But not Suki. She wouldn’t need it, anyway.

Yue’s snapped out of her thoughts by the familiar sight of her driveway, Suki slowly pulling up to the entrance of her house.

“Here we are,” Suki said. “The princess’ castle.”

“Don’t call it that.”

“You’re right,” Suki remarked. “It’s more like Rapunzel’s tower.”

Yue scoffed but didn’t disagree. “Thank you for picking me up,” she said instead. “I know it was a long drive.”

Suki waved her off. “I got to learn more about Katra. It’s fine.”

“Katara,” Yue corrected instantly.

Suki grinned. “I know,” she said.

Yue didn’t know what to make of that, so she hopped out of the passenger seat and waved goodbye as Suki pulled out of her house.

Reluctantly, Yue made her way into her house, trudging up the stairs slowly. Her house still felt cold, a stark contrast to the warmth of Katara’s home, and she ached to turn around and beg Suki to take her back.

“Yue?” came a voice from below.

Startled, she turned around and came face-to-face with her dad, dressed in a suit despite being home alone. She came down the stairs quickly, walking up to her dad.

“A casting director has reached out to me,” her dad said as she approached.

_ Good morning to you, too _ , she thought.

“He wants to cast you as the lead in his next film,” he continued.

Yue blinked and came to a stop. “Oh,” she said plainly.

Her dad’s gaze turned sharp. “You will accept.”

Oh. “Why?”

“It’s a good opportunity to expand your horizons and increase your fanbase.” He always sounded like he was reading a script. He’d make a much better actor than Yue. “The promotions for your album and movie happening at the same time would maximize exposure as well.”

Yue nodded. She’d never really wanted to act, not since her childhood, and especially not since her mother. She’d heard all kinds of complaints from Suki, which were more than enough to deter her: insane filming schedules, sleazy directors, shitty castmates, insufferable scripts, drama, the whole shebang.

She didn’t want to do this at all. “Okay,” she said instead. “Is that all?”

Her father cleared his throat. “No,” he sighed. He picked up the remote off the shelf, holding it in his hand as if he were assessing its weight. “Would you care to explain this?”

He clicked the TV on, turning his gaze to it, and Yue followed. StarStruck TV, the country’s leading daytime gossip segment, played onscreen, the one-of-a-kind face of Joo Dee giving the report. “Princess Yue was the star of the evening, after the birthday girl, of course!” she crooned, gesturing towards pictures of Yue arriving at the Kyoshi Bar.

“Don’t she and Hahn just look  _ stunning _ ?” Joo Dee squealed. It made Yue want to barf. “But the young lovers might be having a tough time of it. Reports say that the two were seen arguing after Princess Yue’s performance, and moments later, the Princess was seen fleeing with a new beau!”

Yue’s blood turned to ice as pictures of her and Katara flashed on the screen. By some miracle, Katara’s face wasn’t visible, but Yue’s white hair and blue eyes were clear as day. “Who is this new mystery lover?” Joo Dee asked exaggeratedly. “Is this the end of our favorite duo? Stay tuned for more insider knowledge!”

Her father clicked the TV off and a deadly silence descended upon them. After a few moments, Yue blurted, “It’s nothing. No one.”

Her father’s gaze turned to her, completely blank, and it took all of her willpower to not flinch. “If it’s nothing, you will not see him again.”

“Her,” Yue corrected, and then immediately kicked her brain because that definitely wouldn’t help her right now.

He didn’t miss a beat. “You will not see her again,” he repeated.

Yue cleared her throat. “Yes. It’s no problem,” she ground out.

Her father didn’t look impressed. “The director has asked that you stay out of the tabloids until Monday,” he continued. “No press, at all, neither good nor bad. You will stay at home and off social media while this blows over.”

“I understand,” Yue told him. 

Her father nodded curtly. “Good,” he said stiffly, then spun and returned to his office.

Yue exhaled slowly, making her way back to the staircase and up to her room in a daze. She’d just agreed to a random acting job and to stay locked in her room for the entire weekend. Suki’s comment about her house being Rapunzel’s tower sprung into her mind as she pushed open her bedroom door, making her laugh humorlessly. Maybe she was psychic.

She made her way to her bed, throwing herself onto her familiar soft bedding. She inhaled slowly, snaking her arms around her pillows, reaching for comfort she knew she wouldn’t find in her house.

Yue patted her pockets in search of her phone, trying to keep her hopes from rising as she turned it on. Her heart soared when she saw a text from an unknown number:

**Maybe: Katara**

_ Hey, it’s Katara. Did you sleep well? _ \- 7:01

Yue quickly saved Katara’s contact information, trying to decide how she wanted to respond. She wanted for it to be easy, to let herself get carried away, but her father’s words rang in her ears.

**Yue**

_ like a baby :p -  _ 8:04

_ thank you so much for letting me stay -  _ 8:04

_ i can’t thank you enough -  _ 8:04

**Katara**

_ It’s not a problem. I just wanted to help  _ \- 8:05

_ Especially considering how rude I was all evening _ \- 8:05

Yue snorted.

**Yue**

_ pls. i’ve dealt with assholes way ruder and way less cute for my whole life.  _ \- 8:06

_ you’re like a breath of fresh air, truly _ \- 8:06

Was that too much? Yue felt her cheeks warm as she reread her message again and again. It was probably too much. Katara was just humoring her, the thrill of the night had worn off and she’d realized that she actually wanted nothing to do with the prissy and pretentious Princess Yue. There would be no next time, no more fun escapades, because Yue had ruined all of it, and-

**Katara**

_ Well, if you want to thank this asshole, my dad owns an ice rink.  _ \- 8:06

_ We could go later, if you want  _ \- 8:06

_ I just realized that my first message sounds really weird.  _ \- 8:07

_ I didn’t mean it that way.  _ \- 8:07

_ You’re under no obligation to me, at all, and I know that, by the way _ \- 8:07

_ But I can get us free tickets, so. Just let me know  _ \- 8:08

Relief flooded through Yue, hitting her like a truck. She held her phone close to her chest and let out a few (dignified) shouts of, “Yes!”

Then she remembered her father’s warning, and her heart sank.

**Yue**

_ i would love to, but i’m not supposed to leave the house this weekend :(  _ \- 8:09

**Katara**

_ I understand. Maybe some other time, then  _ \- 8:09

Yue bit her lip. Who knows when another time would come? She’d be home this weekend, but then the next she’d be recording all day, then she’d be at photoshoots, and then the movie would start filming, and then promotions would start, and she’d never have a free weekend again.

Besides, she could be careful. Suki had snuck her out of her house more times than she could count, and they’d only been caught a handful of times. She could be discrete.

**Yue**

_ my friend said i was like rapunzel _ \- 8:11

_ how would you like to be flynn rider? _ \- 8:11

**Katara**

_ That has to be the cheesiest line I’ve ever heard. _ \- 8:13

_ And that’s saying something. I’ve listened to my brother practice pick-up lines since we were in elementary school. _ \- 8:13

**Yue**

_ i can live with that if it worked _ \- 8:13

**Katara**

_ When can you be here? _ \- 8:13

_ I can be there literally any and every time you want _ , Yue thought a little desperately.

**Yue**

_ how’s 5? _ \- 8:14

**Katara**

_ Perfect. I’ll see you then. _ \- 8:14

Yue tossed her phone aside, her heart beating wildly in her chest. She’d have to leave at 4 to get to the rink in time, giving her 8 hours to prepare herself. Eight hours. Definitely more than enough.

* * *

It was not enough. The ice rink was a little over an hour away. It was currently 3:25 and Yue was standing in front of her closet, towel clutched in her hand, with absolutely nothing to wear.

She didn’t know the angle to take. She didn’t need to be dressed up, pristine for the cameras, but she didn’t want to show up looking like she hadn’t tried. She shifted through shirts, pants, skirts, dresses, and desperately wished she had a closet like Cher from Clueless.

Yue sighed, stepping away from the closet. She realized that she hadn’t gone out as just Yue in years - she was always Princess Yue, perfect, soft, serene, quiet. She hadn’t been Yue in a long time, but she knew that’s what Katara wanted.

She didn’t even know if she could give her Yue anymore, but she would try. She pulled out a purple sweatshirt, a pattern of snowflakes decorating the top, trying her best to not overthink it. She also hadn’t gone skating in years, but she figured that muscle memory would guide her. 

She finished getting dressed, checking her makeup again in the mirror. She adjusted her hair, tightening the knot on top of her head and running a hand over her braids. She looked as Yue as she would look tonight.

Poking her head out of her room, she listened for any sounds that would indicate her father was downstairs waiting. Hearing none, she grabbed her parka, beanie, phone, and headed to the garage as quietly as she could.

She slipped inside her car quickly, praying that her dad would somehow not hear the creak of the garage door opening. She decided there was no way he wouldn’t hear but it was too late to care now, so she pulled out of the garage and made her way onto the open road.

Yue tried to not think about her nervous she was. She was used to going out and parading faces: happy, sad, shocked, angry, in love. She opened her eyes wide, smiled shyly, spoke softly, then sold millions and went on tour. Rinse and repeat. Simple as pie.

Katara was anything but simple. For one, she hadn’t hesitated to tell Yue that she wasn’t a fan, which was refreshing. She didn’t pretend, didn’t suck up, didn’t want anything from her except Yue. She was loud, funny, kind, and absolutely fucking gorgeous.

How terrifying.

She snapped out of her thoughts as suburban scenery appeared outside her windows and her GPS guided her to the rink. It was a decently large building, the sign on top of the entrance reading “THE SOUTH POLE” in big block letters. She made her way into the underground parking lot, leaving her car in a secluded spot.

Yue sat for a moment after turning the car off.  _ Now or never _ , she thought, pulling on her parka and collecting her hair into her beanie.

She made her way into the rink, the coolness of the ice combated by the warmth of so many bodies in one place. She spotted Katara at the skate rental booth and felt a rush of adrenaline course through her when their eyes locked. She was wearing a hat with an adorable white pom-pom sitting on top, and her cuteness made Yue want to scream. 

“Hey!” Katara called, waving at her.

“Hi,” Yue responded, stopping at a respectable distance from her.

“Do you skate often?” Katara asked, leaning on the booth. “Um, Sokka told me that you’ve mentioned it in interviews.”

Yue smiled tightly at her. “I used to,” she said. “When I was younger. Not so much anymore.”

“Why?”

Yue shrugged, tugging on her hair lightly. “I don’t have the time,” she decided.

Katara hummed and gave her a knowing look. “I know the feeling,” she said. “I haven’t been here in forever.”

“I thought your dad was the owner?”

“It’s complicated,” Katara said.

There was definitely a story there, but Yue wasn’t in the business of pressuring her. “Should we get our skates?”

Katara brightened. “Yes!” she said, turning to the boy standing behind the booth. “Hey, Alek? Could we get two skates in my size?”

The boy - Alek - nodded, turning around and grabbing skates off the rack behind him. Katara said a quick “Thank you!” before leading Yue over to a shelf of cubbies.

“You can take your shoes off here and put them there,” she explained, pointing to an empty cubby. “You can take off your coat, too, and put it in a different one.”

Yue nodded and did just that, lacing up her skates next to Katara. “You ready?” Katara asked once she was done.

Yue looked at her in the light of the rink. Her cheeks were slightly red with cold but she didn’t seem to mind at all. She was wearing a simple long-sleeved shirt with polka dots and had taken off her hat so that her hair fell loose except for her two braided loopies. She realized a bit abruptly that she was just a smidge taller than Katara, barely enough to be noticeable. 

She wasn’t ready at all. “Lead the way,” she said, and Katara obliged. She took her hand, sending bolts of electricity racing up her arm. Katara led them onto the ice, not an ounce of hesitation in her bones, but Yue stopped as soon as they hit the ice.

“Wait,” she called, her legs trembling just a little.

Katara noticed immediately. “Are you okay?” she asked, her face a perfect picture of sympathy.

Yue nodded, probably being very unconvincing. “I just haven’t been on the ice for a while,” she explained, still clutching Katara’s hand. “I might just need a second to remember how.”

Katara smiled gently at her. “I’ll help you,” she said, reaching her other hand out. Yue grabbed it immediately, letting Katara pull her slowly away from the edges. She couldn’t decide if she wanted to concentrate on the feeling of Katara’s hands in hers or in trying to remember how to keep herself upright on the ice.

“Thank you,” Yue said, straightening her back. She regained her footing, feeling herself slip back into the familiar rhythm of skating.

Katara didn’t let go of her hands, and Yue didn’t pull away. “Any time,” she said softly, smiling at Yue.

Yue swallowed, tightening her grip on Katara’s hands. “You know any tricks?” she asked, a little breathless.

Katara nodded. “Nothing fancy,” she said. She pulled away from Yue and skated in a circle for a beat before entering a short series of spins and jumps, clearly a memorized routine. Her hair flew out behind her and Yue could see the grin spread across her face.

Yuzuru Hanyu, Yuna Kim, Evgenia Medvedeva - none of them held a candle to Katara in that moment.

“That was amazing!” Yue exclaimed as Katara came to a stop.

Katara’s cheeks turned even redder. “Please,” she scoffed, but her tone was proud. “Just stuff I remember from when I was a kid.”

“Who taught you?” Yue asked.

Katara’s smile slipped and Yue thought,  _ Shit _ . “My mother,” Katara said, her eyes trained on the ice below her. “She would bring me to this rink and teach me. She was a skater when she was younger.”

Yue nodded, drifting closer to her. “That sounds fun,” she said, taking Katara’s hand again. “My mom used to track the lunar cycle with me. She loved the night sky. She would always try to teach me constellations, but only a few made sense.”

Skaters passed all around them as Katara laughed. “None of them make sense to me at all,” she said. “A few dots becoming, like, a chimera or something? I can never really see it.”

Yue giggled. “Maybe you can teach me some skating moves,” she suggested, slowly pulling Katara across the ice. “I’ll show you some of the constellations I know.”

Katara smiled at her. “I’d like that,” she whispered, then pulled Yue into a hug.

Yue froze for just a second, taken by surprise, but she melted into the hug. She wrapped her arms around Katara’s shoulders and leaned into her, feeling the weight of Katara’s arms resting on her waist. She was warm, incredibly warm, and her hair smelled like coconut with hints of vanilla. She was trying to figure out the least creepy way to smell her hair more when Katara stiffened and said, “Sokka?”

Yue moved to pull away but Katara’s arms tightened immediately, keeping her in place. “Katara?” came a voice from behind her.

“What are you doing here?” Katara demanded, her voice blowing on Yue’s ear.

Deciding that Katara was distracted enough, she inhaled a little bit, burying her head in her hair. “Uh, I could be asking the same to you!” Sokka exclaimed.

“I asked you first!”

“I asked you second!”

Yue wondered if Katara used a lavender moisturizer. “You’re supposed to be at home,” Katara accused.

“Well, you’re supposed to be in the library,” Sokka retorted.

There was silence for a moment, the sounds of little kids skating for the first time filling Yue’s ears. Yue wished they would talk again. She’d never had any siblings, and after her mom died, it was just her and her father alone in the house. She tried to not be jealous of Katara, but she couldn’t help it.

The silence between the two of them was broken when a third voice appeared and said, “Sokka?”

Yue felt Katara’s jaw drop. “ _ Zuko _ ?” she shouted, lifting an arm off of Yue’s waist. “Why are you here?”

Another beat of silence. Yue recognized the other boy’s name as the one whose car they had stolen. “Oh, my god,” Katara said, her voice horrified. “Are you two on a  _ date _ ?”

Yue froze. The sounds of the boys stammering and Katara’s horrified cries were drowned out by the roar of her heartbeat. Were  _ they _ on a date? Was this supposed to be a romantic outing between her and Katara? She probably wanted it to be, sure, but did Katara? Did it even matter? They couldn’t ever actually be together, anyway. Her father wouldn’t ever allow it. Her and Hahn’s relationship timeline had been planned for weeks, and she wouldn’t be able to deviate from it at all.

“...her name is, um,” she heard Katara say, bringing her back to the present. “Um, her name is Yu...cca. Yucca.”

Yue’s shoulders shook with the effort to keep from laughing. “Like the food?” Sokka asked.

Katara huffed. “Yes, like the food!” she shouted indignantly. “And we’re leaving! Enjoy your  _ date _ .”

Katara led them away, still not letting Yue turn around. She heard Sokka call, “I will!” as they exited the ice, and then Katara was peeling herself off of Yue and taking her back to the cubby wall. They’d nearly made it the whole way when Yue spotted a group of people standing at the entrance of the rink, cameras in hand.

Paparazzi.

“Turn around!” Yue hissed, turning her back to the cameras. “Don’t look behind you. There’s paparazzi at the door.”

Katara’s eyes widened. “Shit,” she whispered, turning to match Yue’s position. “How did they find us?”

Yue shook her head. “They must’ve followed me,” she guessed. “They were probably staking out my house because of the party last night. They’ll know which car is mine.”

Katara was silent for a moment, thinking, and her eyes brightened suddenly. “I know another exit into the parking lot,” she told her. “We’ll get our stuff and leave as quietly as possible.

They continued on the rest of the way, Yue grabbing her shoes and pulling them on as quickly as possible. She hadn’t bothered in taking off her parka so she waited for Katara, careful to keep her face away from the cameras. 

“How do you feel about car theft?” Katara asked as she was done lacing up her shoes.

Yue paused and thought for a moment. “I’m down if you are, I guess,” she offered.

Katara grinned. “Good. Give me your keys.”

Yue blinked. “We’re gonna steal my car?”

Katara stared at her. “No,” she began, “but if we’re going to take my brother’s ride yet again, we should give him another way to get home.”

Yue laughed, the absurdity of the situation settling on her. “I see,” she said, taking her keys out of her pocket. “Where are you going to find his keys, though?”

“I can see his date’s jacket even though I’m not looking at the cubbies,” Katara said dryly. “It’s the ugliest shade of orange I’ve ever seen.”

Yue immediately noted the one Katara was talking about. “Yikes,” she muttered, making Katara huff out a laugh. Katara reached into the pocket of the coat, taking out a familiar set of keys. She grabbed Yue’s and slipped them into the coat, then pushed the coat back into the cubby.

“Okay,” Katara said, holding up the keys. “Let’s go.”

Yue let herself be led to an exit on the far right side of the rink, slipping down a hallway and past the restrooms. They found themselves in an unfamiliar part of the parking lot, but Katara wasted no time in pressing the key fob and looking for a response.

After a few minutes of searching, a tell-tale beep rang out. They glanced at each other for a moment before racing to the source, Katara gleefully tossing the keys to Yue over the roof of the car. They slipped in quickly, Yue starting the engine to get the heat up and running. 

“We won’t need this for long,” Yue said, glancing at the clock. 6:13. “I mean, we can basically drive around in circles until the paps leave.”

“That’s good,” Katara said. “That way they won’t even know we took the car.”

Yue hummed. “We’ll go around front to see if their van is there. If it is, we’ll know when they leave.”

Katara nodded and they set off, circling around to catch sight of the van. Sure enough, a black van was parked at the entrance of the rink, haphazardly parked on the curb.

“There it is,” Yue muttered. “Losers.”

Katara laughed. “I’m sorry that our time was cut short.”

“It’s okay. Though I would’ve liked to meet your brother.”

Katara shifted uncomfortably. “I don’t like lying to him,” she admitted. “But I’m scared that he’ll be mad.”

“You think he’d be mad that we…,” Yue trailed off. “That we, ah, hang out? Isn’t he a fan?”

Katara very nicely did not mention her hesitation. Yue circled the block again. “I think that’s exactly why he’d be mad,” she explained. “Or not mad, but...betrayed, I guess. I’m always on his case about how much he talks about you, insisting that I don’t like Princess Yue.” 

She looks embarrassed for a moment. “But, anyway, if he knew that I texted you and brought you to my dad’s ice rink and even visited your house? He’d flip.”

Yue thrummed her fingers on the steering wheel. “You never know,” she said, turning the block a fourth time. “It’s better late than never before it’s too late.”

“Maybe,” Katara said, and that was that. 

The car was silent as Yue approached a fifth time, her annoyance growing. “They’re not going to leave any time soon,” Yue said miserably. “We’re wasting our time going in circles like this.”

“We could just go back to my place,” Katara suggested. “If they’re still at the rink, they’re not following this car. We’ll be fine.”

Yue thought for a moment, pulling the car over. “Are you sure? If they have another van following us, they’ll know where you live and they won’t leave you alone.”

“I’m sure,” Katara said firmly. “I’m positive that they aren’t following us, and it’s better than spinning in circles or going somewhere public.”

“Okay,” she agreed, reaching to put Katara’s address into her phone and followed her phone’s instructions until she pulled into the driveaway she’d seen last night.

“Home sweet home,” Katara said, sending her a smile as she got out of the car. Yue followed her, waiting as Katara unlocked the front door and led her in.

If she thought that her dads’ room had been warm, it was nothing compared to their living room. There was stuff everywhere, barely any empty space in the room. The couch was worn, the beige pillows fraying and the blankets that were thrown across looked similarly well-loved. There were rugs on the hardwood, looking distinctly like animal hide, reminding Yue of the small animals she’d seen in the bedroom.

Pictures of Sokka and Katara lined the walls, ranging from when they were babies to what must’ve been their senior portraits, photos with their dads, and some with a woman with a striking resemblance to Sokka.

Yue’s father hadn’t kept any photos of her mom up.

Yue took her shoes off in the same spot as the night before, placing them next to Katara’s. “Come in here,” Katara said, leading her to the dining room. “Just put your coat on the couch, if you want.”

Yue quickly shed her parka and took it to the couch, placing her beanie on top. The embroidered silver crescent stared up at her, and Yue felt herself relax. She would be fine.

She turned back to the hall, seeing the dining table clearly from the couch, and headed over. She had just sat down when Katara returned with a bowl of snacks, placing it in the space in front of Yue. Popcorn and pretzels. Cool.

She had also returned wearing only a black t-shirt.

“Where’d your shirt go?” Yue asked, wincing at her brash choice of words.

Katara didn’t seem to mind. “Honestly, I was burning up underneath my shirt, my coat, and…” She trailed off, a blush rising on her cheeks. “Uh, anyway, I was just hot.”

_ I’ll say _ , Yue thought, her eyes trailing the muscles of Katara’s arms. She definitely worked out.

“Are you okay?” Katara asked, looking worried.

“Your arms are...very, uh, muscular?” Yue stuttered.

Katara raised an eyebrow. “Exercise helps me relieve stress,” she stated.  _ Called it! _

_ That’s hot _ , Yue’s mind supplied. Horror dawned on her as Katara’s face flushed bright red, her mind-to-mouth filter deciding to take a break. “Sorry,” Yue blurted, feeling her own face heat up.

“It’s okay,” Katara said, her face still very red. “Um, thank you, I guess?”

Yue begged for the earth to swallow her whole. “Any time,” she said, and they settled into silence.

Katara hummed, tapping her fingers on the table. “Do you want to watch something, maybe? A movie or whatever?” she asked.

“I’d love to,” Yue said.

Katara smiled, heading over to the couch and waving at Yue to follow. She took the bowl of popcorn, trying not to feel like a trailing puppy, and settled onto the couch next to Katara. Katara turned the TV on and made her way onto the Netflix homepage, the sounds of passing cars and crickets bleeding into the quiet.

“I’ve been wanting to watch this,” Katara said, punching in the name of a movie. “It’s called Over the Moon. Is this okay?”

Yue read the description.

_ Fueled by memories of her mother, resourceful Fei Fei builds a rocket to the moon on a mission to prove the existence of a legendary moon goddess. _

This could go very wrong. “Yeah, this is okay,” she said lightly. Katara beamed and pressed play.

It was not okay. They were 20 minutes into the movie when Yue burst into tears over Fei Fei’s song about her mother. Katara was teary-eyed, sure, but an appropriate level of tears were in her eyes, unlike Yue’s very undignified sobs.

She saw Katara scramble for the remote, making her feel guilty and bringing on a fresh set of tears. “Are you okay?” Katara asked, resting a hand on Yue’s back and sounding completely bewildered.

“It’s stupid,” Yue got out between cries. Katara’s hand made a circular motion on her back and she focused on that feeling, trying to get herself under control.

“It’s not stupid at all,” Katara assured her. “Is it about your mom? Because of the moon?”

Yue nodded. “She died when I was younger,” she explained, her voice thick. “I told you about the lunar cycle thing, but she  _ really  _ loved the moon.” Yue laughed, her eyes slipping shut as more memories came to her. “That’s why she named me Yue. She would tell me about our moon and other planets’ moons, all about space exploration and mythology surrounding the moon.”

Yue took a shaky breath, feeling Katara slip her hand into hers. “And now that she’s gone, I still feel her whenever I see the moon. Like she’s protecting me, or looking over me, I guess.” She swallowed down another wave of tears. “So Fei Fei’s story was just…a lot, I guess. Too close to home.”

Katara nodded, keeping her hand on Yue’s back. “I understand. That’s really beautiful, Yue,” she said, her voice hushed. “I know how you feel. I’m the same way about the ocean.”

Yue looked at her throat. “Your necklace?” she guessed.

Katara’s hand slipped out of hers and grabbed the stone sitting on her throat. “Yeah,” she said. “It was my mom’s. She really, really loved the ocean. We would go at least 3 times a year, sometimes more if she had time. She bought this necklace the summer that my dad proposed to her.”

Yue let her head fall on Katara’s shoulder, trying to share some of the warmth that Katara had given her. “We haven’t really gone as much after she died,” Katara continued, her voice thin. “But I think of her whenever I see the ocean.”

Katara exhaled, wiping her tears away with her hand. Yue moved instinctually, wrapping her arms around Katara’s shoulders as tightly as she could. Katara melted into her hug, and Yue held her as wetness seeped onto her shoulder. Yue copied the circular motions Katara had been doing, burying her head into Katara’s shoulder. “It’s okay,” she whispered, squeezing her eyes shut. “We’re okay,”

Katara kept her arms around her for another moment before sniffing and pulling away. “Thank you,” she whispered. “It’s been a while since I talked about her, I guess.”

Yue laughed dryly. “Me too,” she assured her. “I don’t think I’ve ever really talked about her, actually.”

Katara frowned. “I’m glad you talked to me, then,” she said, her voice earnest and her eyes sympathetic.

A melody popped into Yue’s mind as she looked into Katara’s blue eyes. It was one that she’d heard weeks ago, the producer providing a range of songs he’d had prepared. She hadn’t thought much of it, not really seeing a story in the song until right now, this moment, with Katara’s red-rimmed eyes looking as kind as ever, the light from the television making her glow in the darkness.

She knew exactly what she was going to do with the song.

“I think I should get going,” Yue responded, feeling her heart fall at the same time as Katara’s face. “I just- I’m late for a recording session,” she explained.

This didn’t seem to pressure Katara. “Okay,” she said, wringing her hands together. “I’m sorry for the movie. If I had known, I would’ve never-”

“It’s not that,” Yue rushed to explain. “Really. I’m just glad you even wanted to watch a movie with me. I really am late - I lost track of time.”

Katara seemed a little bit more relieved. “If you’re sure,” she said dubiously. “Sorry for keeping you, then.”

Yue laughed. “Don’t worry, I let myself be kept,” she said, watching a blush rise on Katara’s cheeks. “I’ll text you tomorrow, okay? And we’ll swap cars.”

Katara’s eyes widened. “Shit,” she said. “I completely forgot we stole Zuko’s car again.”

Yue laughed at Katara’s dumbfounded expression. “Let’s not make a habit out of it.”

“Definitely not,” Katara agreed.

Yue grinned, sliding off the couch and grabbing her stuff. She looked back at Katara as she opened the front door, finding that she was already watching her leave. 

“Was this a date?” she blurted.

_ Fucking hell. _

Katara made a strangled noise in the back of her throat, her blush reaching her ears and chest this time. “Um?” she squeaked, very pointedly not looking at Yue.

“Not that it needed to be,” Yue said, slapping a hand on her forehead. “Um, but if it was, I think I’d like that. You know, if you want it to be. But if not, that’s also good. I like either option. Or, you know, neither. Like, if this was neither platonic nor romantic but instead was, like, villainous, or something? That’s okay too. So, I mean, don’t even feel obligated to respond, you know? I had an English teacher who would always say that there’s never an incorrect interpretation of events, so, you know, we can each have our own thoughts about it, I think? But maybe that doesn’t really apply. Anyway, I’ll leave now.”

“Wait!” Katara shouted, making Yue stop mid-step. “It's just...don’t you have a boyfriend?”

She did indeed. “Um, like, barely?” she said, sounding more like she was asking.

Katara bit her lip. “I’d also like for today to have been a date,” she started slowly. “But I don’t feel right about the cheating.”

Yue’s heart sank. “I get it,” she said. “I’ll take care of it.”  _ Wait, what? _

“Really?” Katara said, her voice hopeful.

_ Well, there’s no turning back now _ . 

Yue nodded, turning her head to look her in the eye. “Really.”

Katara grinned, and Yue knew she was a goner. “Okay,” she whispered. “I’ll see you later, then.”

“See you later!” Yue repeated, and then fled to Katara’s brother’s boyfriend’s car. She pulled out of the driveway as quickly as possible, actually wanting to go back to the mansion for the first time in a long time, but she had no time to waste - she had a song to write and a PR boyfriend to dump.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hmu on tumblr: sirensokka <3


	3. keep it on repeat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the finale! <3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> good evening yuetara nation. i'm sorry this took so long but at last the starstruck au is complete!

Yue stood in the studio, alone in the small recording booth she had been able to book last minute, pouring hours worth of work into her voice as she sang. She was probably on her fifth recording by now, her voice still strong but getting weary, and she felt her heart race as she reached the end of the song.

Silence permeated through the air. The song wasn’t right, not yet - something was off, but Yue couldn’t put her finger on  _ what _ . Maybe it was just the early morning session getting to her, but she could tell her dad felt the same.

“Alright,” he called from behind the screen. “Take a break. We’ll keep going after.”

Yue nodded, slipping off her headphones and grabbing a sip of water. She made her way over to her laptop, propped open on a stool beside the mic, and continued to cyberstalk Katara.

Maybe cyberstalk was too strong of a word. Really, she had just connected her contacts to Instagram and found Katara’s account, blessedly set to public, and then not closed out of the tab for the entire night. Totally normal, totally cool.

Suki slipped into the booth, her eyes bright. “That was great, Yue,” she said, coming behind her. “And I see our mystery girl is to thank.”

Yue blushed. “Whatever,” she muttered, tabbing through the pictures. There were pictures of Katara at the beach, the summer sun shining behind her as she grinned into the camera, pictures of her skating at the ice rink, pictures with her brother, a bald kid with tattoos, a short girl with similarly short black hair. 

Snippets of Katara’s life, laid out for Yue to tap through in the studio. 

The booth was silent for a moment. “I can’t stop thinking about her,” Yue blurted, snapping her laptop shut. Neither of them noticed the  _ click!  _ of the door sliding open and shut. “She’s annoyingly honest, she’s beautiful, funny, and wicked smart. She’d a med student, did you know that? She lives in the fucking suburbs.”

Suki chuckled. “I didn’t know you wanted that suburbia vibe.”

Yue shrugged, turning to look at her. “I think I like it.”

“Hey girls,” came a voice over the speakers, making them jump and spin around. Hahn was standing on the other side of the glass, an unreadable smile spread across his face. “Talking about me?”

Hahn made his way into the booth, Suki shooting her an apologetic look as she slipped out. He stopped just in front of her, his expression still betraying nothing.

“Listen, Hahn,” Yue began, but Hahn held up a hand to cut her off.

“I don’t care who she is,” he said, clearly caring. “Is she an actress? More famous than me? Snuggling up to the co-star, taking a page out of Suki’s book?”

Yue bristled. “Suki and Ty Lee weren’t like that and you know it,” she snapped. “And no, she’s not an actress. She’s not famous at all.”

Hahn scoffed, rolling his eyes. “Then I really don’t understand why you’re doing this.”

“Doing what?” Yue asked.

Hahn stared at her. “Choosing her.”

Yue gaped. “I’m not  _ choosing _ her,” she said, her face heating up. “It just kind of...happened.”

Hahn laughed. “That sort of thing only happens in the movies, Princess,” he said. “Filming hasn’t started yet, remember?”

Yue sighed, not wanting a senseless fight. “What do you want, Hahn?”

He hummed, pulling out his phone. “My reputation would flourish if my goody-two-shoes girlfriend cheated on me,” he mused, tapping on his screen, and Yue’s heart stopped. “So I could let this go on. But I don’t think my ego could handle it, you know?”

Yue exhaled slowly. “So what are you saying?” she asked, willing her voice to stay steady.

Hahn flicked his eyes up to hers. “I’ve already e-mailed Joo Dee,” he explained, pocketing his phone. “I’ll be with Miyoung, that singer from Ba Sing Se’s Got Talent. When we’re spotted, I’ll inform her that we broke up at Suki’s birthday party.”

Yue nodded. “Thank you, Hahn,” she said.

“She’s hotter anyway,” Hahn remarked, then left the booth.

Yue blinked, taking a moment to calm her heart. She saw movement on the other side of the glass, and she startled as Suki’s voice blasted through the speaker.

“You’re free!” she shouted, a wide smile on her face. “Go get her, Yue!”

Yue grinned, relief flooding her body. “You’re helping me,” she said, grabbing her laptop and making her way out of the booth.”

“Obviously,” Suki said, linking their arms together. “I was ready to drop kick that asshole, by the way.”

“I know,” Yue said fondly. “But right now I need you to book a gig at the Jasmine Dragon for tonight, not go to jail for assault.”

“Alright,” Suki grumbled. “But afterward?”

Yue giggled. “What I don’t know can’t hurt me,” she said, her chest filling with warmth as Suki let out a celebratory shout.

**─── · 。ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───**

Yue pushed open the door to her house, Suki following close behind, racing to turn on the latest episode of StarStruck. Suki beat her to it, grabbing the remote and flipping through channels until they hit the right one.

On-screen, Joo Dee eagerly showed pictures of Hahn and Miyoung around town, followed by a video clip of Hahn speaking to the camera.

“Princess Yue and I had a good run,” he said, his words soaked in fake sadness. “But the spark was gone. It was time to move on.”

Joo Dee appeared once more. “It really is the end of our favorite couple!” she wailed, making Suki gag. “And this makes the mystery of Yue’s new beau that much juicier!”

The same picture of Yue and Katara flashed on the screen, and Yue’s breath caught. “Tune in next time to theorize with us! I’m your host, Joo Dee, signing off. Goodbye!”

Yue flopped back onto the couch as the channel cut to commercial, closing her eyes as a tentative happiness spread throughout her. If this worked, if her reputation was safe, then she really could go after Katara. She could feel that thrill, that happiness, that freedom that she felt when she was with her.

“Twitter is blowing up,” Suki advised, making Yue’s eyes snap open.

“What are they saying?” she demanded, leaning over to peer at Suki’s screen.

Suki grinned. “They’re sad, but nobody’s mad. You’re fine.”

Yue let out a string of laughter, hugging Suki tightly. “I’m free,” she marveled, determination flooding through her.

“I’m free!” she repeated, pulling away from Suki and reaching for her phone.

“What’s your plan?” Suki asked, rolling her shoulders.

“Did you book that gig?” Yue asked.

“Of course I did,” Suki said. “You’re on at 7:30.”

“Well, then,” Yue said, smiling. “Let’s see if she’s up for a concert.”

Suki laughed as Yue dialed Katara, keeping the phone on speaker between them. Yue bit her lip as the phone rang, one beep after another echoing in the empty house.

“Hello?” Katara’s voice came through the speaker, making Yue nearly fall over.

“Hi!” Yue chirped. “How have you been?”

Katara paused. “I just watched StarStruck with Sokka,” she said instead, and Yue shared a look with Suki. “Is it true?”

“Not entirely,” Yue hedged. “The story is fake. But the outcome is real. It’s over.”

“Good,” Katara said, just a tad too quickly. “I’m happy for you, I mean.”

“Thank you, Katara,” Yue said softly, ignoring Suki’s silent cooing.

“So,” Katara said, drawing out the word. “What’d you call me for?”

Yue’s heart leaped into her throat. “Well,” she started, “if last night didn’t technically count as a date, maybe tonight will.”

Suki and Yue stared at the phone, their brows furrowed as Katara took a moment to respond. “I’d like that,” she finally said, and the way Suki pumped her fists in the air mimicked the fireworks going off in Yue’s head.

“Great,” Yue said as casually as she could. “I know a place where we could go. It’s discrete, so we won’t be seen.”

“What is it?”

“It’s a little shop called the Jasmine Dragon,” Yue explained. “They mostly sell tea and some sweets, and there’s usually live music.”

“That sounds great,” Katara said. “I’d love to go with you.”

Yue squealed internally. “Good. Great,” she breathed, letting a smile spread across her face. “I’ll pick you up at 7, then?”

“Right,” Katara said happily. “I’ll see you at 7.”

“See you there,” Yue chirped, hung up, and then proceeded to scream into the couch with delight.

“You actually did it!” Suki shouted, shaking her shoulder. “Holy shit! You have a real date!”

“Holy shit,” Yue echoed, her eyes wide. “I have nothing to wear.”

Suki grinned. “Not on my watch,” she said, and pulled Yue up the stairs to get ready.

* * *

Katara was trying not to think about how nervous she was for their maybe-probably date, and Sokka was  _ not _ helping her nerves.

“Where are you going?” he called to her as she darted around the hall.

“Um,” she started, trying to think of an excuse as she braided her hair loopies, “I’m meeting group mates. For a group project.”

“What, at the library? Katara, you’re a terrible liar,” he said flatly.

She sighed, walking into the living room and tying off her braids. “I just don’t think it’s important,” she tried.

Sokka frowned. “Dads are back home tonight,” he said. “We’re supposed to have dinner.”

_ Shit _ . Guilt flooded through her. “I’ll be back in time for that,” she assured him. “Call me if I’m not and I’ll be home right away.”

Sokka didn’t look relieved. “You can talk to me, you know,” he said quietly. “You always have. Don’t flake on me.”

_ Again _ went unspoken, and more guilt flared up in her gut. “I’m sorry,” she said, sitting on the other end of the couch. “Really, it’s not a big deal.”

Sokka quirked an eyebrow. “Is that why you’re wearing makeup and your fanciest shirt to meet some group mates?”

Katara flushed. “Fine!” she said, crossing her arms. “I have a date. With a girl. Tonight.”

Sokka’s eyes widened comically. “What?” he screeched. “How did I not know about this? Where did you meet her? Is that why you’ve been so weird lately?” He cut himself off suddenly, his jaw slack. “Did you meet her at the Kyoshi Bar? Is  _ that _ why you ditched?”

“Yes,” she said immediately, thankful she wouldn’t have to lie. “I thought you might be mad I ditched you to chase a girl.”  _ Chase a girl? Really? _

Sokka laughed. “ _ I _ ditched  _ you _ to chase a girl first,” he pointed out. “I taught you well!”

Katara shrugged. “Yeah, but I actually got the girl,” she teased, ignoring Sokka’s indignant protests as she headed back to her room.

She got the girl indeed. The girl was supposed to be here in about... _ now _ .

Katara dropped her phone. She raced into the bathroom again, triple checking her look. Was her hair fluffy enough? It looked a little flat. Maybe just a little more floofing to bring out the waves…

The doorbell rang. “I’ll get it!” Katara screamed, sprinting out of the bathroom.

Sokka hadn’t even budged. “Don’t do anything I would do,” he advised.

“Already have,” she said, then grabbed her coat and slipped out of the door.

Yue was standing on their porch, her hair shining against the glow of the full moon, an oversized parka pulled over a flowing silver dress. Her blue eyes looked into Katara’s, soft and hesitant, her pink lips pulled between her teeth.

“Hi,” Yue said, the winter air just cold enough for Katara to see her breath.

“Hey,” Katara responded, a smile playing on her lips. “To the Jasmine Dragon?”

Yue smiled at her. “Your chariot awaits,” she said, gesturing towards the car idling on the curb, and they began walking.

“It’s a short drive,” Yue said as they pulled away. “It’d be worth a long drive, though.”

“How do you know the place?” Katara asked.

“I have a friend who knows the owner,” she replied carefully. “The owner, Mushi, he’s got his own reasons to be discrete. Makes for a good place for us to hide.”

Katara hummed. “Sounds nice,” she said softly. “Reminds me of the ice rink a little.”

Yue smiled. “Is this, like, my car now, by the way?”

Katara laughed. “Sokka told me about them finding your car in the parking lot. Zuko barely talked him out of heading straight to your place, so that was a close call.”

Yue winced. “I’m pretty sure Suki was there, raiding my fridge,” she said. “I would’ve paid to see that.”

Katara laughed as they pulled into a parking space, her heart beating faster as they approached the front of the shop. “It’s cozy,” she remarked as they walked inside, the warmth of the restaurant seeping into her bones. 

It was a small shop, decorated with elaborate vases, flowers, and paintings lining the walls. There was a small fireplace in the middle of the left wall, the fire crackling barely audible over the crowd. There was a small stage on the right wall, enough for maybe two or three musicians to stand on, a microphone and guitar sitting on stage There were baked goods next to the register, an unfamiliar selection of sweets, and the menu hung above.

“Very cozy,” Yue agreed, taking off her coat. “Let’s sit by the fireplace,” she said, taking Katara’s hand.

Katara flushed and let herself be led, slipping into her seat, facing the stage. She breathed in the scents of the shop, recognizing the scents of jasmine, ginseng, white tea, and more blending with the sweetness of the pastries. “Good evening, Miss Yue,” a kind voice said, and Katara looked up to see an old man standing by their table.

“Good evening, Mushi,” Yue replied just as kindly. “This is my...well, this is Katara.”

Mushi raised an eyebrow, but didn’t comment on her stammering. “Hello, Katara,” he said warmly.

“Hi,” she said back, fighting a blush. “This place is very homely. I like it.”

Mushi beamed. “Thank you very much,” he said. “Now, what can I get you tonight?”

Katara’s eyes slid to the menu as Yue ordered. “I could go for my usual Jasmine,” Yue said, “and a plate of  _ dasik _ if it’s not too much trouble?”

“None at all,” Mushi assured. “And you, Miss Katara?”

“Ginger tea, please,” she replied.

“Excellent choice,” Mushi said, his eyes twinkling. “Have fun tonight,” he said, nodding his head toward Yue, then left to queue their order.

“He seemed nice,” Katara said, fiddling with the napkins on their table.

“He’s very nice,” Yue confirmed. “He’s nice enough to let me do this, too.”

Yue had left the table before Katara could ask what she meant. Katara watched as she walked onto the stage, strumming the guitar lightly to tune it. Yue tapped on the mic.

“Good evening, everybody,” Yue called softly. Patrons looked up from their meals to peer at the stage, and Katara’s attention was focused solely on the way Yue shined under the spotlight.

“I’ve been working on this song for my upcoming album,” Yue continued. “It’s not done yet, but I wanted someone very special to hear it.”

Yue’s eyes met hers, and Katara felt her heart stop, a fierce blush taking over her face. Yue’s blue eyes were kind, a gentle smile on her lips, and Katara felt the air leave her lungs as Yue opened her mouth to sing.

Katara didn’t think she’d ever get over hearing Yue’s voice live. The songs that Sokka played for her were carefully autotuned, subtly taking out the character from Yue’s voice. So subtle, Katara would’ve never known if she hadn’t heard Yue sing the other night. Yue’s voice was just slightly raspy but still sweet, her voice powerful and commanding. She could clearly hear each breath Yue took, watched the veins in her throat move, watched the way Yue’s fingers moved across the guitar.

_ “Taming a wild heart _

_ Taking a free spirit _

_ Running on empty _

_ Chasing the heat of the night” _

Katara felt goosebumps rise on her arms as Yue finished the song, felt her hands clap enthusiastically with the rest of the crowd. She blinked as Yue approached their table again, finding that their order had arrived, a plate of cookies sitting in the center while their teacups steamed.

Yue’s cheeks were flushed, her eyes nervous as she sat back down. “Did you like it?” she asked, gripping her cup.

Katara stared at her. “Yue, that was  _ amazing _ ,” she gushed, a huff of laughter leaving her. “That was...wow.”

Yue beamed. “I wrote it because of you,” she murmured, bringing her cup to her lips. “Last night I just went home and I wrote and wrote.”

Katara felt her cheeks redden, her heart thudding rapidly. “I could tell, I think,” she replied. “Or I hoped, at least.”

Yue blushed. “I wasn’t very subtle, was I?” she said, tugging on her hair.

Katara leaned forward and took her hands, setting them on top of the table. “No,” Katara admitted, grinning. “But that’s good.”

Yue squeezed her hands. “I’m so glad you liked it,” she said quietly, her eyes darting down to Katara’s lips.

Katara’s breath hitched. Her hands tightened in Yue’s, her mind reeling. She could lean in, over the table, and press their lips together easily. The conversations around her faded away as Yue leaned in closer, tugging on her hands, and Katara followed, leaning in as close as she could, her eyes slipping shut.

Nothing came. She felt Yue jumped, her grip loosening, and her eyes flew open. Someone had bumped into Yue’s seat, bumping her askew, and Katara prayed that they would trip and fall on their way out of the store, too.

“Wow,” Yue breathed, taking her hands out of Katara’s and sipping more of her tea. “That was a close one.”

Hurt blossomed in Katara. “What do you mean, a close one?” she asked.

Yue’s eyes widened. “I just meant that we’re in public,” she said hurriedly. “The Jasmine Dragon is discrete, but it’s still public. We can’t...do stuff like that.”

Katara nodded, hating the way her throat closed up. “Right,” she bit out, staring down at her tea. She hadn’t even taken a sip yet. “Because I’m not a movie star or whatever, right?”

“You know it’s not like that,” Yue urged, setting her cup down. “You know it’s not about that.”

“I don’t know if I do,” Katara countered. “If I were a singer, or an actress, or just famous somehow, you would’ve proudly shown me off, right? We wouldn’t have to hide anything. We’d be like Hahn and his new girlfriend, or your friend Suki with hers.”

“But I don’t want that!” Yue said. “That’s all fake, showing off for a camera in hopes of getting on the front page. It’s not real. I thought you knew that.”

Katara shrugged. She did know that, somewhere, but a bigger part of her didn’t want to sneak around her own family’s ice rink, didn’t want to lie to her brother, didn’t want to look over her shoulder every time she went out with Yue. A bigger part of her wanted to hold Yue’s hand, wanted to kiss her after hearing a song about her, wanted Yue to choose Katara over the press.

“Please,” Yue said desperately. “If the paparazzi find out about you, they won’t leave you alone. They’ll ruin everything.”

“Then was there really that much to ruin?” she spat bitterly.

Yue flinched. “Of course there is,” she whispered. 

“Thanks for the tea,” Katara muttered, pulling on her coat.

“Katara, wait!” Yue called as she stormed out of the shop. She didn’t wait. She left the Jasmine Dragon as fast as she could, standing in the night air and feeling around for her phone, panic rising inside her when she didn’t find it.

_ Shit _ . She never went back to her room for her phone. No uber, then. She looked around the block, searching for a taxi, and spotted a phone booth at the end of the street. Thank goodness for landlines.

She slipped into the booth, scanning the sign on the inside for a taxi service, and punched in the numbers. She saw Yue burst out of the Jasmine Dragon and she knew that Yue saw her, but then she was swarmed by a group of teenagers coming out of the store next to the Jasmine Dragon.

Katara let out a breath as the taxi service picked up, rattling off the address numbly and hanging up, watching as Yue smiled stiffly and posed for pictures, her eyes occasionally sliding to the phone booth. She saw the paparazzi van pulling up, watched as they snapped pictures of Princess Yue being so kind to her fans.

She  _ didn’t _ see the lone photographer who followed Yue’s gaze, who raised their camera and snapped a photo of the girl in the phone booth, watching Yue with angry eyes.

She tore her eyes away from Yue as her taxi pulled up. She got out of the booth and into the cab, away from Princess Yue and going back to her life.

The ride home was silent.

* * *

Yue was screwed.

Her father had called her in to speak with the director of the movie early Monday morning, his tone and expression as blank as ever, and she agreed. It was probably just a regular meeting, right?

No, of course not, because Yue couldn’t have nice things.

She walked into the meeting, closing the door to her father’s office, and was met by the sight of her father’s desk covered in photographs. More specifically, photographs of Katara.

Yue’s stomach dropped, her hands feeling clammy as she slid into the chair in front of the desk. Her father stared at her with angry eyes, the director sitting next to him with a disappointed expression.

“Katara,” the director said, making Yue want to cry. “Pretty name for a pretty girl.”

“Where did you get these?” Yue asked, darting her eyes over the pictures. They were taken yesterday - Yue could recognize the phone booth Katara was in, recognized the taxi she took back home. She recognized the front of Katara’s house as she walked in, an unfamiliar car in the driveway.  _ They’d followed her home _ .

“Where do you think we got them, Yue?” her father asked, his voice a mix of anger and resignment. “Joo Dee and her crew have been following you all weekend.”

“But we were careful,” Yue said meekly.

The director sighed. “This is what I was worried about,” he remarked. “Couldn’t last a weekend out of the tabloids. You’re not serious about this movie, are you?”

_ Not at all _ , Yue thought, but her father jumped in for her. “She  _ is _ serious, sir, please. Let us make this go away.”

The director looked between them for a moment. “Alright,” he said eventually, tapping on the photographs. “I want this gone by end of day.”

“Absolutely,” her father said. “Please, I’ll show you out.”

Yue stood still as they left, the door sliding shut quietly behind them. As soon as they were gone, Yue lept up, getting a closer look at the photos. She felt sick looking at photos of Katara’s home splayed across the desk, knowing that they could be making their way to the next StarStruck segment. She hadn’t been able to keep Katara safe. The thing she’d dreaded the most since meeting Katara had come true.

“I gave you orders to stay home,” her father said from behind her. 

Yue jumped, her eyes wide and her heart thudding. “I know.”

“I gave you orders to not see her,” he continued.

“I know.”

They stared at each other for a moment. “You will call Joo Dee. You will give her an exclusive,” he began, his voice hard. “You will tell her you don’t know this girl. She’s just a fan who was following you around.”

_ No _ , Yue thought desperately. “You want me to lie?” she croaked.

Her father sighed deeply. “I want your next album to break record-number sales. I want this movie to be successful. Do you want that?”

Yue shrugged, staring at her shoes. “I just want to sing.”

“If you want to sing, go call Joo Dee,” her father replied. “Otherwise, this’ll make it so that you won’t ever sing again.”

Part of Yue knew that her father was being dramatic - her career could survive this blow. Another part of Yue feared that he was right, that her career would take too big of a hit to ever recover. Another part of her didn’t care.

A bigger part of her did. “Okay,” she said, not looking up.

“Get out of my office,” her father said, not unkindly but not kindly either.

Yue bolted, running up to her bedroom. She slammed the door and crashed into her bed, curling up under the blankets and fumbling with her phone. There were only a few hours until the next StarStruck segment, so if she was going to do this, she needed to do it now.

She hesitated. She could warn Katara, right now, tell her that Joo Dee found her. But what good would that do? She wouldn’t be able to do anything about it.

She called Joo Dee and booked the interview. Live, at noon, at StarStruck TV Studios.

Yue got ready in a daze, donning her signature braids and a simple blue dress. She thought about asking her dad to come with her but decided against it. She doubted he’d be a particularly comforting presence right now.

She slipped into the stolen car that was beginning to feel weirdly familiar. She wondered how her own car was doing, stashed in the garage of an unfamiliar home. She realized then that the boy could’ve exposed her and Katara then, make some good money, but he hadn’t. Yue sent him a mental thank you as she made her way onto the open road.

Yue tried not to think. She flipped the radio on but immediately shut it off when she recognized her own voice. She formulated a script in her mind:  _ Katara? Oh, sounds vaguely familiar. Probably just a super-fan. Sometimes I remember usernames, you know? _

It made her feel sick. Hahn and her friends were one thing. Lying about some details of her past, making stories behind song lyrics, pampering herself and giving tours of her mansion, those were all superficial. She didn’t care about Hahn or her carefully crafted friend group. She didn’t care if the media conflated her song’s meanings, because she knew that someone out there would see past it. But this? She cared about Katara, deeply. Nobody would believe Katara over her.

She pulled into the parking lot of StarStruck Studios. She inhaled slowly, 1, 2, 3, 4. She held her breath for a moment, 1, 2, 3, 4. She exhaled slowly, 1, 2, 3, 4.

Her head felt clearer. She thought of the sadness and anger radiating off of Katara last night. She thought of how happy Suki was that they’d planned a date. She thought about her father, his disappointment and thinly-contained anger as he’d directed her to come here.

She thought of her mom, painfully absent from the afternoon sky, replaced by the burning Meridian sun. Yue did  _ everything _ in her memory. She’d only began writing after her mom had passed, channeling everything she couldn’t articulate aloud into her notebooks, fiddling with her guitar when she was home alone, demanding that her father teach her the piano. 

Maybe this isn’t how she’d wanted it, but she did want it - she wanted to sing, wanted to put her art out there. She wanted the fans, wanted the attention on some level. And she wouldn’t have any of it for a very long time if she didn’t talk to Joo Dee.

Yue checked the time. It was now or never. A beat passed, two, three, four, and Yue forced herself to exit the car and enter the studio.

* * *

“Katara?” Sokka called from the hallway, coming from his bedroom.

“Hm?” she responded, not looking up from her notes. She’d fallen more behind than she thought possible, making her angrier than a Monday typically would. She’d been too distracted with the notion that she’d be able to be with Princess Yue to do any of her real-life work. She was such an idiot.

“I think you need to see this,” he said, turning the TV on and flipping to StarStruck TV.

She stopped breathing when she saw a photo of herself. She was standing in a phone booth, illuminated by the streetlight overhead, her eyes trained on something beyond the camera.  _ Yue _ . 

“So, we’re here about this girl, Katara,” Joo Dee began, and Katara’s breath caught as the camera zoomed out to reveal Princess Yue, all dolled up and proper with a fake smile on her face. Her dad perked up in the kitchen at the mention of her name, worry etched on his face as he made his way over.

Yue shrugged. “Sounds vaguely familiar,” she dismissed, and Katara felt hot embarrassment stain her cheeks.

Joo Dee gave her a look. “Come on!” she exclaimed, waving her hands. “We know you were at the Jasmine Dragon with her. Our sources say you sang a  _ song _ for her that night!”

Katara’s hands balled into fists, her fingernails digging into her palms. Yue laughed lightly. “Please, Joo Dee,” she said. “I saw a lot of fans that night outside the Jasmine Dragon. I just wanted to test a song to see how people might like it, that’s all.”

“You never stop working, do you, Princess?” Joo Dee cooed.

Yue gave her a hollow smile. “No, I don’t,” she said.

Sokka clicked the television off. She felt her dad sit beside her, resting a hand on her shoulder, and she burst into tears, turning to fit her head against his chest. He wrapped his arms around her in an instant, his face pained. “It’s okay, Katara,” her dad murmured into her hair. “It’s okay. You’re okay.”

Katara collected herself, pulling away slightly, and her dad held her for just a moment longer before letting go. She sniffled for a moment before he broke the uneasy silence in the room. “What was all that about?” her dad asked gently, urging her to look into his eyes.

She didn’t. She looked up at Sokka, guilt rising to match her anger, her sadness, betrayal, embarrassment. He didn’t look anything but sympathetic, and Katara felt that much more miserable.

“I met Princess Yue,” she told him weakly.

He let out a wobbly laugh. “You got the girl,” he said.

Katara closed her eyes, looking away. “I’m so sorry,” she whispered. “I wanted to tell you so badly.”

“Don’t apologize,” Sokka said firmly. “Trust me, we’re gonna talk later, but right now, are you okay?”

Katara shrugged, looking up at their dad. “Sorry for getting into trouble.”

Hakoda sighed. “I think at this point, I’m just glad it’s not Sokka nearly destroying parts of the town,” he admits, making them all laugh. “I’ll tell Bato to come home from the rink. I think some family time is in order.”

Katara curled into herself as her dad left, Sokka immediately taking his spot. “I guess what they say is true,” he said. “Don’t meet your heroes.”

Katara snorted. “You considered Princess Yue a hero?”

“Uh, maybe!” he defended. “She’s, like, crazy talented and  _ super _ funny. Almost as funny as I am! And her life is so well put together, and….and I’m being a jerk, aren’t I?”

“Yes,” she affirmed. “But I don’t think you could be a bigger jerk than Yue right now.”

Sokka sighed, leaning back on the couch. His hair was loose around his face, falling lightly and framing his jaw. “I’m sorry. I do wish you would’ve told me, but I guess I understand why you didn’t. But I’m here for you now, okay?”

Katara nodded. “I’ll be okay,” she deflected. “I’ll just keep doing my notes.”

Sokka frowned but didn’t press her, turning the television back on and flipping to a kids channel. She tuned out the cartoons as she worked, cursing her anatomy professor as she went along. She didn’t hear gravel crunch as Bato pulled in, but she did hear the clamor of reporters seep into the house as he opened the door and stepped inside.

Her head snapped up to see him, his face red and his clothes disheveled from the reporters. “So, is anyone going to tell me why there’s a mob on our front lawn?” he asked, making his way to the kitchen.

Sokka looked at her, and she looked back. A silent agreement passed through them. “I may have gotten involved with a celebrity,” Katara called. 

Bato poked his head out to look at her. “Is that why Alek called me while on vacation complaining about loiterers?”

Flushing, Katara nodded jerkily. Bato’s eyes softened and he left the kitchen, making his way to the couch. Katara smiled weakly at him and he wrapped her into a hug, patting her hair slowly. “I’m okay,” Katara whispered into his shoulder, but he didn’t budge. 

“Okay,” he said. “But are you okay?”

Katara laughed, her voice slightly muffled. “Yes, I’m okay, Dad,” she said, pulling away. “Really. Thank you.”

Bato sighed, resting a hand on her shoulder. “We’re here for you, Katara,” he said. “All of us.”

Katara tried not to cry as he made his way back to her dad. She snapped her laptop shut and retreated into her room, burrowing under her familiar covers and blankets. She grabbed her stuffed penguin, lovingly named Mr. Otter, and stared into its eyes.

Why would Yue do this to her? Had she miscalculated somewhere, pissed Yue off too much last night? Or maybe Yue was always a stupid prissy Princess and Katara had just been stupid enough to fall for her whole “I-really-do-care” schtick.

Groaning, Katara slammed Mr. Otter onto the floor. He landed with a quiet thump, which made Katara feel bad and feel angrier at the same time. She pushed herself out of her bed with a huff, moving towards the window that overlooked the driveaway. She peeked through the blinds and the reporters descended like vultures at the movement.

“Katara! Katara! Let us see your face, honey!”

“Katara, what can you tell us about Princess Yue?”

“Tell us about your weekend with Princess Yue!”

“Are you the one who inspired Princess Yue’s leaked song?”

Katara stumbled back from the window, her heart pounding. Her blood boiled as she stormed out of her room and back into the living room. 

“Yue said it would get like this,” she fumed, facing around the couch. Sokka stared at her. “I guess I didn’t really believe her.”

“They’ll go away eventually,” Sokka said.

Katara sighed. “No, they won’t,” she said grimly. “They won’t go away until I give them a reason.”

Sokka’s eyes narrowed. “Katara, please do not go in front of those cameras,” he pleaded.”

“Celebrities might have to put up with this, but I don’t,” Katara decided, then pulled open their front door before all her confidence vanished.

* * *

Yue watched in horrified silence as Katara yelled at the StarStruck cameras. Suki had shoved her phone in front of her face, a YouTube video pulled up on the screen, and Yue could do nothing but watch and Katara dug a deeper hole for herself.

Suki sat next to her, similarly silent. 

“Katara, Katara!” Joo Dee called, waving the microphone in Katara’s face. “Tell us. Who really is Princess Yue?”

Katara laughed humourlessly. “Princess Yue doesn’t exist,” she replied. “Princess Yue is an invention. No, it’s like a parasite or a virus. And I think it’s corrupted the real Yue, too. I’ve never met the Princess Yue the world is obsessed with, and I wouldn’t want to.”

Suki turned her phone off. “That was posted a few hours ago,” she said. “I thought you liked her because she was so honest?”

“I do,” Yue said. 

“Well, congratulations, then.” Yue looked at her quizzically. “You got her to lie for you,” Suki finished.

Yue’s stomach churned. “I never wanted this,” Yue said harshly.

Suki sighed. “I thought you wanted to be free!” she said. “I thought you wanted something real, away from the cameras.”

“I do!” Yue argued.

“Then why did you do this?” Suki pleaded.

Yue closed her eyes. “I didn’t have a choice.”

Suki scoffed. “You always have a choice. You just didn’t choose Katara.”

_ Then I don’t understand why you’re doing this. Choosing her. _

_ I’m not choosing her! _

_ Shit. _

“I think you’re right,” Yue said faintly. “I’ve made a terrible mistake.”

Suki nodded. “And what are you going to do about it?”

Yue opened her eyes. “I need your help,” she begged, her eyes shining. “I need to make this right.”

Suki grinned, holding out her fist. Yue bumped it obligingly. “Operation Endgame is underway!”

Yue crinkled her nose. “Endgame? Really?”

“I don’t see  _ you _ coming up with any ideas.”

Yue rolled her eyes, a fond smile on her lips. “Whatever,” she said. “I have a movie I need to quit. Excuse me for a moment.”

Suki gaped at her as she tapped at her phone, scrolling through her contacts list until she found the director. She held the phone between them on speaker as the dial tone rang.

“Princess Yue!” the director shouted with glee. “I see you’ve taken care of the situation. Your role is secured.”

“I don’t want it,” Yue said flatly. 

The other line was silent. “Excuse me?” he said lowly.

“I don’t want to act in your movie,” she repeated. “Or any movie, in fact.”

“I...don’t understand.”

Suki made a face. Yue sighed. “I’m quitting your movie, right now. I quit. I’m done. Goodbye.”

She cut off his indigent splutters and pocketed her phone once more. “I like this Yue,” Suki told her seriously.

Yue smiled at her. “I think I do, too,” she admitted. “Now, will you accompany me as I go tell my dad?”

Suki grimaced but nodded, trailing behind her as they walked the familiar hallway towards her father’s office. She knocked three timed and poked her head in, seeing him typing away at his desk.

“Do you need something?” he asked.

“Are you busy?” she asked, walking in fully. Suki flashed her a thumbs up and stayed outside.

“I’m working on incorporating filming dates with your tour schedule,” he replied, not taking his eyes off the screen. “But depending on ticket sales, your schedule could change drastically, so I’m a bit unsure…”

Yue gently closed his laptop and he startled. “That won’t be necessary,” she said quietly, stepping back from his desk.

Her dad frowned. “And why is that?” he asked warily.

“I don’t want to do the movie,” she declared. “Or any movie. I quit.”

Her father’s face turned red so she spoke before he could. “I don’t care what you have to say. The attention from the breakup is enough to compensate for the attention the movie would’ve gotten. And even if it weren’t, I’m my own person. I’m your  _ daughter _ . I should be able to make my own decisions.”

Her father stared at her. She stared back. “I understand you may feel your freedoms are limited, Yue, but it’s for your own good.”

“No!” she shouted. “You know what? You’re fired.” Her father blinked. “You haven’t been my dad in a long time. You should work on that instead.”

She left before he could say anything, catching sight of Suki at the end of the hall, and she walked over as fast as she could.

“Well?” Suki asked, scanning her face. 

Yue thought for a moment. Hahn was gone, the secret was gone, the movie was gone, and her father was gone. There was only one thing left to do. 

“I need to sing at the Kyoshi Bar tonight,” she said. “Just me, just Yue. But I need Katara and Joo Dee to be there.”

Suki hummed, her brow furrowed. “I can make that happen,” she decided. “But we need to go now.”

Yue looked down at her clothes, just a flannel and black pants, and nodded. “Lead the way,” she said.

They made their way to Suki’s car out front and they drove in a comfortable silence to the Kyoshi Bar. Suki kept the radio on, humming along quietly, but Yue’s mind wandered.

What if Katara didn’t forgive her? She certainly had no reason to. Yue had betrayed her, lied to everyone, and broke Katara’s trust. She’d completely understand if Katara never wanted to see her again.

That didn’t mean she’d like it.

“Okay,” Suki said, stopping at an unfamiliar door. “There’s still a few hours before we open. I’ll get Katara and Joo Dee down here, and you’ll focus on rehearsing your song, okay?”

“Okay,” Yue confirmed. 

“Alright, then,” Suki said, killing the engine. “Let’s go get the girl.”

**─── · 。ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───**

Yue tugged on her hair as she watched the first crowd of people trickled into the Kyoshi Bar. She was standing backstage, peering through the curtains, desperately trying to spot Katara in the sea of people.

“Relax,” Suki called. “She’ll be here. Joo Dee, too, by the way, armed with a camera crew and everything.”

Yue’s face scrunched. “I’m sure just one camera would’ve sufficed,” she muttered.

Suki laughed. “Joo Dee is extra, you know that.”

Yue sighed. “Doesn’t mean I like it,” she grumbled, turning away from the curtain. “Do you know when Katara will be here?”

“Patience,” Suki soothed. “I’ll tell you when. Just sit tight. I’m gonna go mingle a bit, okay?”

Suki was in the crowd before Yue was done nodding. She went back to her guitar with a sigh, staring at it blankly. She took out her phone and found herself heading to her Files app, pulling up the demo she’d produced in the studio. She wasn’t sure if she could make it much better in such a short time, but her guitar couldn’t entertain a restless crowd.

She replayed her demo over and over, adding lyrics to certain parts, taking them away, inflicting them differently. She couldn’t change anything about the beat on her phone but that would have to be a problem for later.

Once she was satisfied, she slipped her song into the song queue backstage. She hesitated before going back. Moving before she could overthink it, she queued another song after her own and then slipped in a slow dance.

Just in case.

She made her way back to her spot backstage just as Suki came looking for her. “She’s here!” Suki whisper-shouted. “I’ll announce you right now. Break a leg!”

“Okay,” Yue said, and Suki pushed back the curtain and sauntered on stage.

Yue took a breath as the crowd cheered for Suki. This was it, maybe. She’d be debuting her song, Katara’s song, their song, in front of a massive crowd, in front of Joo Dee and her cameras, in front of her father.

She wished there was a window backstage, but she knew her mom was looking over her. 

Yue exhaled as Suki called her name. “And now, please welcome my dearest friend, the beautiful and talented Yue!”

Yue stepped out into the blinding lights of the stage. She scanned the crowd quickly, smiling at Suki as she handed her the mic and stepped off stage. She couldn’t see Katara, but she trusted Suki.

“Good evening, everyone,” she said into the mic, and the crowd erupted in cheers. “I’ve been working on this song for a few days now. I wrote it because of someone very special to me, who I hope is in this crowd right now.”

The crowd gave a chorus of “aww!” Yue cleared her throat, gestured for the music to begin, and let the song move through her.

There was a time when something like this would’ve terrified her. She was too scared to sing when she was alone most of the time, and singing in a big crowd seemed like the last thing she’d ever do. She started small - singing for her dad to prove to him that she could, singing karaoke with Suki, singing on slow nights at the Jasmine Dragon.

She could eventually do more, joining her school’s choir, getting solos, performing for the whole class, whole school. She sang during rush hours, busy nights, made her way to other restaurants, booked more gigs. She sang in front of producers, managers, lyricists, sang duets with her crafted circle.

Then she was singing in front of sold-out stadiums, thousands of bodies packed together to watch her, listen to her, to see her. She could do it with ease, the nerves bubbling beneath her just another part of the experience. There were times when she hesitated, when the nerves didn’t disappear as she took the stage, but that hadn’t happened in a long time, and it didn’t happen tonight.

Tonight, she didn’t have a crowd. She was only singing for Katara.

How terrifying.

Her eyes slipped closed as she took the mic from the stand, swaying back in time with the music. She crept closer to her favorite part of the song, the new part, the missing part. She’d realized the glaringly obvious hole in the song while she was backstage: Katara.

_ “Up on the roof, _

_ Dancing for you, _

_ Under a million stars. _

_ The magnetic moon _

_ Pulls me to you, _

_ With your ocean arms. _

_ It's pulling me to you.” _

She opened her eyes as the song fades out, her chest heaving and her cheeks warm. She doesn’t let her breath hit the mic as she switches it off. The crowd erupted once more as the song finished

She clicked the mic back on when the crowd quieted. “Thank you, everyone. Katara, if you’re listening, please talk to me.”

The crowd cheered, some heads darting around to spot Katara, and she was eventually led to the far end of the club, just by the door. Katara was hunched over, turning her face away from Yue, but she would recognize those hair loopies anywhere.

Also, the person next to her was gesturing wildly towards her.

Yue hopped off the stage, the crowd parting easily, and she came to a hesitant stop before Katara.

“Hi,” she said awkwardly.

Katara straightened up, turned to her, and glared. “What did you think?” she started. “You could just sing to me again and everything would be fine?”

Yue hesitated. “No,” she admitted.

“Then what was that?” Katara demanded.

“I just wanted to tell you I was wrong,” Yue pleaded. “It was wrong of me to say those things about you. I’m so sorry, Katara.”

She tried to ignore the clacking of Joo Dee’s shoes as she ran over to them, cameraman trailing behind her. “Aren’t you a bit late?” Katara asked. “The damage has been done.”

Joo Dee shoved a mic into Yue’s face. Yue shot her a dirty look and wrangled the mic out of her hands. She turned to the camera and said, “I lied about knowing Katara,” she declared. “I know that she’s a good person, an honest person. I know that she can’t drive, but isn’t opposed to some grand theft auto. She skates better than anyone I’ve ever seen. She doesn’t hold back, and she’ll always speak her mind.”

Yue turned her gaze back to Katara. “And I know I’m crazy about her,” she admitted.

Katara’s lips twitched. Yue put the mic down. “Katara, please, I’m so sorry. I know I broke your trust. I know I hurt you. I was scared, and I know that’s not an excuse, but I’m done being scared.”

Joo Dee gazed intently at them, her eyes hungry with the potential for a story. She could feel dozens of pairs of eyes on them, but she only had eyes for Katara.

Katara stared at her for a moment, her expression unreadable. “Please tell this woman to get out of my face,” she said after a beat. “I expect front-row tickets to your next concert.”

Yue laughed, her shoulders sagging in relief. “You heard her,” she told Joo Dee. “Go!”

Joo Dee and her crew made their way out just as the queued slow song began blaring over the speakers. Yue reached for Katara, but Katara held up her hand. Yue’s stomach dropped until Katara tugged on the person next to her, and then Yue was face-to-face with a boy that had a striking resemblance to her.

“Yue, this is my brother, Sokka,” Katara said with a smile. “Sokka, this is Yue.”

“Hi,” Sokka said faintly, his face beet red.  _ Starstruck indeed, Suki, _ Yue thought.

Yue grinned at him. “Hey there, Sokka,” she said. “Did you enjoy the show?”

Sokka nodded. “Yeah.”

“I’m glad,” she said softly, placing her arm on his shoulder, and he promptly fell over.

Luckily, Suki was there to catch him. “I’ll take care of this guy,” she said, winking at Yue.  _ Get the girl! _ Suki mouthed.

Yue smiled and turned back to Katara. She extended her hand again. “May I have this dance?” she asked.

Katara slipped her hand into hers, pulling her close. She placed her hands on Yue’s waist then guided Yue’s hands up to her shoulders. They swayed together to the slow beat of the song, a comfortable hush falling over the crowd.

Yue inched closed to Katara, closing the gap between them. “I tried to be even less subtle tonight,” she whispered, biting her lip. “Did it work?”

Katara laughed. “I like the fact that you said I have ocean arms,” she teased, her breath ghosting across Yue’s lips. “I totally noticed you ogling mine the other night, by the way.”

Yue groaned, a smile spreading on her lips as Katara laughed. Yue pulled her in closer, resting their foreheads together, keeping their steady rhythm. “I think there was something we forgot to do the last time I sang for you,” Yue murmured.

Katara’s breath hitched. “Are you going to do it this time?” she challenged, her eyes blazing, and Yue leaned in and pressed their lips together.

She distantly heard Suki cheering, the sound of it drowned out by the feeling of Katara’s lips moving against hers. She pulled Katara completely against her, her hands tracing down Katara’s back as their lips moved together. She shivered as she felt Katara grip her hips.

Yue broke away for a moment, looking into Katara’s eyes. The song still hadn’t ended, couples around them still dancing slowly, and Yue blushed. This was neither the time nor the place.

“Do you wanna get out of here?” she blurted.

Katara grinned. “Absolutely,” she breathed, taking Yue’s hand. Her lips were flushed a bright red. “Where to?”

Yue smiled back. “The world is our oyster,” she said. “You pick.”

Katara brightened. “I know just the place,” she said, tugging on Yue’s hand.

Yue let herself be led into the cold night air, her cheeks burning and her chest warm, holding hands with the girl who finally set her free.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hmu on tumblr: sirensokka :D  
> dasik is a korean tea dish i found while poking around for some pastries i could include in this! seemed fitting and also delicious  
> the song yue sings is "magnetic moon" by tiffany young!! 1000/10 recommend it's so beautiful

**Author's Note:**

> i'm not really satisfied with the way this turned out, so i'll probably be editing this a bunch later, but for now i just wanted this published in time for atla femslash week! chapters 2 & 3 are already written and will be up tomorrow & sunday!! <3
> 
> the song yue was singing is runaway by tiffany young & babyface
> 
> hmu on tumblr: sirensokka :D <3


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